While the playoffs are within reach, the Vikings might need some help to get in. Chicago and Seattle currently hold the Wild Card spots with 8-5 records. Minnesota is tied with Dallas and Washington at 7-6 — but they lose the tie-breakers to both teams. Veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield knows the situation: “If we don’t win, we don’t have a chance.”
Head coach Leslie Frazier says Peterson is the type of player, who if he fails to reach 2,000 yards but the Vikings make the playoffs, will be the happiest player on the team. As for actually hitting the 2,000 yard mark, Peterson says he feels like “it will happen.”
If Peterson does rush for 2,000 yards and the Vikings miss the playoffs they will join a very futile group. Of the six teams in NFL history that had a running back go over 2,000 yards, only two of them missed the playoffs. The 2009 Titans, led by Chris Johnson and 1973 Bills, led by O.J. Simpson.
Former Browns head coach and current ESPN analyst Eric Mangini doesn’t care what happens over the final three weeks — he thinks Peterson has already done enough to earn the MVP.
Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press is giving his MVP vote to Peterson.
Peterson was at the top of the fantasy food chain this weekend. The timing couldn’t have been better, as it was the first week of fantasy football playoffs in most leagues.
