Former Oklahoma Sooners piles up 296 rushing yards against Chargers
Nov. 4, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS – If anyone could make a statement for the NFL Hall of Fame in just his eighth career game, Adrian Peterson certainly added his name to the ballot.
Peterson raced to the NFL’s single-game rushing record with a 296-yard performance in the Vikings 35-17 victory against the San Diego Chargers.
Peterson needed 30 carries to break Jamal Lewis’ total of 295, set as a Baltimore Raven in a Sept. 14, 2003, contest versus the Cleveland Browns.
‘All Day’ was certainly that as Peterson rushed for 253 of his record yards in the second half. He scored three touchdowns, on runs of 1, 64 and 46 yards. No other running back in the NFL has as many 40-plus-yard rushes as Peterson.
The former Oklahoma Sooner, who left college after his junior season, topped 200 yards rushing for the second time in one season, a feat no other NFL rookie has accomplished.
Peterson has 1,036 rushing yards in 2007, putting him on pace to obliterate Eric Dickerson’s rookie record of 1,808 set in 1983. Dickerson’s all-time single-season record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984, could be in jeopardy, too.
Peterson’s record was the second set in the game Sunday. San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown – the longest play in NFL history — just before halftime.
Source: Peterson Sets NFL Single-Game Mark
