The Minnesota Vikings will probably be without star running back Adrian Peterson for at least another week.
Peterson was sent to work out in a swimming pool Monday for continued rehab on his injured right knee. Coach Brad Childress said he didn’t expect Peterson to be ready for the next game against the New York Giants.
“It’s hard to say right now. He hasn’t been on hard land yet,” Childress said.
Chester Taylor resumed his role as the featured back and rushed for 164 yards on Sunday in a victory over Oakland with Peterson watching from the sideline.
Peterson, who still leads the league by a wide margin with 1,081 yards rushing, was hurt in the third quarter of the Nov. 11 game against Green Bay on a tackle by Packers cornerback Al Harris that caused his lateral collateral ligament to tear. The LCL is the least critical of the four knee ligaments.
Peterson has spent “literally, six to eight hours a day” in the training room since then, Childress said. He’ll have to practice before being cleared for action in a game, so it’s likely he won’t return until some time in December.
Also, fullback Tony Richardson sprained his knee and also hurt his ankle against the Raiders.
Bills
Quarterback J.P. Losman will get his fourth straight start at Jacksonville on Sunday, when Buffalo could again be without top offensive threat Marshawn Lynch.
Coach Dick Jauron said Monday that while he wouldn’t count out Lynch, he’s not optimistic the rookie running back will be fully healed from a severely sprained left ankle.
“I don’t want to discount him ever,” Jauron said. “But it is a substantial sprain and injury.”
That’s potentially bad news for the Bills (5-5), who are trying to rebound from a 56-10 loss to New England on Sunday and hoping to stay in the AFC playoff hunt.
Jauron said Lynch, who was hurt in a 13-10 win at Miami on Nov. 11, was still wearing a protective boot through last weekend.
Despite missing the game against the Patriots, Lynch still ranks eighth in the NFL with 751 yards rushing and leads the Bills with six touchdowns. With a touchdown passing, Lynch has had a hand in seven of 11 TDs produced by Buffalo’s offense this season.
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