November 4, 2007

Seven games into his NFL career, Adrian Peterson had established himself as one of the most dangerous runners to enter the league. He was averaging 106 yards rushing, with a 224-yard effort in Game Five against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field that included touchdown runs of 67, 73, and 35 yards. In his eighth game, he faced the San Diego Chargers, a team whose defense would allow the fifth-fewest points in the league that year. San Diego’s run defense would have ranked third in fewest yards allowed per game at the end of the season if it had been able to maintain its average against the Vikings.

At halftime, the Chargers led 14-7, and Peterson had 43 yards on 13 rushes for Minnesota. On the Vikings’ first series of the second half, he went 64 yards for a touchdown. He added 43 yards on seven other attempts in the third quarter, and then exploded in the fourth. His results on the ground: 16, 19, 5, 3, 12 (fumble lost at the end of the run), 46 (touchdown), 7, minus 1 (nullified by penalty), 35, 3, end of game. He gained 146 yards in the fourth quarter, 253 in the second half. His 296-yard day broke Jamal Lewis’s single-game record by one yard. He is the only rookie to have two 200-yard rushing games.

One other record was set in this game. As the first half was winding down, Ryan Longwell attempted a 57-yard field goal on the final play. The kick was just short, and San Diego’s Antonio Cromartie caught it nine yards deep in the end zone, took off down the right sideline, got some key blocks, and returned it 109 yards for a touchdown. The return was the longest play in NFL history, and represents a record that can never be broken.