Adrian Peterson widens the Vikings lead over Giants

“And do it for our own personal pride and the pride of the New York Giants”.

Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater became the first Vikings QB to throw for four touchdowns and run for one since Fran Tarkenton did it in 1961 against the Bears – in the first game in Vikings history.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph scored the Vikings’ first touchdown on a 28-yard touchdown strike from Bridgewater to go up 10-0 early in the second quarter. A carry by Peterson and a 15-yard screen pass to #28 took the Vikings down to the Giants’ 11-yard line. The Vikings can lock up a playoff spot with a Seattle win or Atlanta loss on Sunday.

The Giants, 6-8 SU and 8-5-1 ATS, are 1-4 SU in their last five games. Beckham ranks No. 3 in the NFL in receiving yards (1,396) and is tied for the league lead with 13 receiving scores. Now the NFL Odds for the game have the Vikings favored to pick up this contest at home.

Mike Zimmer elected to make Adrian Peterson and all his recovering defenders active for Sunday night’s game. This loss featured a frenzied Eli Manning throwing three interceptions and captaining an offense that managed just 132 total yards and six TDs through the game’s first 43:58, as the Giants continued their two-month freefall, losing for the sixth time in eight games. Beckham, given the week off after his jawing/taunting/targeting of Josh Norman and the Carolina Panthers last week, was the most valuable player in this game simply by demonstrating that the Giants are an ineffective, muddled mess without him in the lineup.

Adrian Peterson (ankle) wasn’t a full participant in practice last week until Friday, and that was also the case with LB Anthony Barr (knee), DT Linval Joseph (foot) and DE Everson Griffen (shoulder). They’ve each essentially missed the last three games and Joseph played four seasons with the Giants and won a Super Bowl with them.

The Vikings may see the Giants keep the ball on the ground a bit more with Beckham being suspended and Rashad Jennings coming off a season-high 107 rushing yards on 16 attempts.

The Giants had a small consolation by finally finding the end zone, with Manning hitting Rueben Randle for a 72-yard touchdown. Manning has already set a career high with 32 touchdown passes, besting the 31 he threw in 2010.

The Vikings travel to Lambeau to face the Packers Sunday night.