Minnesota expects Peterson to be recovered from left knee surgery for two torn ligaments in time to start the 2012 season.

“We expect most people to recover from this injury in eight to nine months and instead of comparing Adrian to any other player at any level that’s had an anterior cruciate ligament, and they happen every day, I would really like Adrian to stand on his own merit because Adrian, I feel, is very unique,” Vikings head trainer Eric Sugarman said Monday.

“Adrian has a great work ethic. Adrian has the DNA to heal quickly, which he has shown in the past. He certainly will have the desire and the mental toughness to be able to get through the rehab process, which will take months and months, as you know. So, I think if anyone can get better quickly and safely in that time period, it would be Adrian Peterson.”

Peterson tore his ACL and MCL when he was hit in the side of the knee by Washington Redskins safety DeJon Gomes in the third quarter of Saturday’s 33-26 win at Washington. An MRI on Saturday evening revealed the ligament tears and meniscus damage, and Peterson will undergo surgery within the next seven to 10 days.

Backup Toby Gerhart, who started three games earlier this season when Peterson was out with a high ankle sprain, will start Sunday in the season-finale against the Chicago Bears. A second-round pick in 2010, Gerhart has filled in well for Peterson and notched the first 100-yard rushing game of his career with 109 yards on 11 carries Saturday. But the Vikings expect Gerhart’s time as the starter to be short-lived.

“He sets his goals extremely high and he’s one of those guys who, when he puts his mind to it, there’s no reason to ever doubt that he can achieve what he sets his mind to,” Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said of Peterson. “We’re looking forward to his attacking this rehab like he’s attacked every offseason, to come back and play and be even better than he was before. I know with Eric and our medical staff, they’re going to do everything they can to get him back on the field and ready to go when we line up in that first football game next season.”

Gerhart’s emergence over the past month at least offers optimism if Peterson has to miss extended time next season.

Gerhart has had the top three rushing days of his career in the past four weeks. On his first carry after Peterson left Saturday’s game, Gerhart showed some big-play ability of his own, busting free for a 67-yard run, the longest of his short career.

Believing Peterson will be ready for the first game of 2012 and knowing Gerhart is available if needed, Frazier said the team wouldn’t change its run-first offensive approach.

“One of things about Adrian’s absence earlier in the season, we had a chance to get Toby some extended snaps and we really haven’t altered the offense by any means,” Frazier said. “Toby has done a very good job in Adrian’s absence. Did a great job (Saturday) of stepping in and performing and rushing for over 100 yards. So we really haven’t had to alter things. We really don’t plan to. We look forward to eventually getting Adrian back on the field, but we don’t think we have to really alter the offense.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By Brian Hall
FOXSportsNorth.com

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — When the Minnesota Vikings committed $100 million to Adrian Peterson on a seven-year contract extension, they tied themselves to the talented Pro Bowl running back and shaped their offensive philosophy for the next several seasons.

Now coaches are trying to remind themselves to continue using him.

Peterson received just five carries in the second half of Sunday’s 26-23 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. Unable to sustain drives, Minnesota simply lost track of perhaps its best offensive weapon after a couple of unsuccessful carries.

“What we have to make sure we’re always conscious of, and I have to remind myself of this — even if Adrian gets stopped for a negative gain or two yards because they’ve got so many people at the line of scrimmage, he’s such a great player that even against eight-man fronts he can still make something happen,” coach Leslie Frazier said. “You can’t ever forget that. Second half, they came with more eight-man fronts because of Adrian, for sure, and we’ve just got to stay with it and it will continue to open up other things.”

Peterson finished with 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown, but had just five yards on five carries in the second half.

“We didn’t create a lot of drives in the second half, and that kind of limited myself in the second half,” Peterson said. “I felt like going through this for the third week a lot of eyes were opened to some things. I think we’re going to come with a new approach this week.”

Misuse of Peterson in the second half has been as disturbing a trend as letting double-digit halftime leads slip away.

Even more puzzling than the overall attempts, Peterson was a decoy on the most important run of the day. Facing a fourth-and-1 from the Detroit 17-yard line in the fourth quarter, Peterson was lined up behind Toby Gerhart. Peterson went wide as if he were running a toss and Gerhart took a quick handoff but was met for no gain. The Lions ended up driving for a tying field goal.

On Monday, Frazier said he wouldn’t have done anything differently.

“Wouldn’t mind if I could have gone out there and made that block for our guys, got that first down,” Frazier joked. “Thought we could get it, didn’t work out. Really felt like it would put us in a position to eat some clock and maybe go up 10 at that point. I think it was 23-20 at that point. Didn’t work out.”

Thus far in the season, Peterson has 58 carries for a total of 296 yards. He routinely faces defense with eight or nine men up front to stop him, but that hasn’t always been a deterrent.

“Once I get a crease and I’m out, there’s not too many guys left to beat,” Peterson said. “But I’ve been facing eight-, nine-man fronts since I’ve been here. Even when (Brett) Favre was here, I was facing eight- and nine-man fronts. I feel like I’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys up front that we can, no matter the situation or point of the game, we’ll be able to run the ball.”

Peterson did have a 14-yard carry in the fourth quarter called back on a holding penalty by receiver Michael Jenkins. However, his last carry of the game came with 5:07 remaining when he lost four yards.

“It’s just us always being conscious of, ‘Hey, OK, it was no gain. Don’t stop giving it to him. Come back next series or next play and give it to him again,’” Frazier said. “He’s really the bell cow for our offense, and everything revolves around him. So whatever we do, any success we have will come off of what Adrian Peterson brings to us. So when we struggle on offense, it’s usually because Adrian is not a big part of our offense, in general, and yesterday was case in point.”

Starks reportedly in for a visit: Frazier wouldn’t confirm a report on 1500espn.com that free-agent offensive tackle Max Starks was in for a visit Monday. Starks, released by Pittsburgh after the lockout ended, has played in 95 games and started 68 during his seven seasons with the Steelers after being a third-round draft pick in 2004.

“I know we’ve talked about bringing in some guys to work out, and I know Max is one of the guys we’re going to work out,” Frazier said. “But we’re always bringing in guys all through the season to work out. It doesn’t mean it’s an imminent signing. We’re always bringing in guys.”

Frazier maintained that he has been pleased with the current offensive line and doesn’t have plans for any significant changes, barring any injuries for unforeseen developments.