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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tyler Forness

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Adrian Peterson stiff arms defender into oblivion

Welcome to the 25 SKOL’s of Christmas!

In a similar vein to how Freeform has done the 25 days of Christmas, we will look back at different moments in Vikings history to bring a little extra joy to you this holiday season.

It’s that simple. The holidays can be a trying time for some people and we want to put a smile on people’s faces by reminiscing about some truly joyous times in Vikings’ history.

On the eighth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Adrian Peterson postering a defender with a stiff arm.

The 2009 season was a special one for many reasons and it all started when Brett Favre arrived at the end of training camp. He wanted to come here in 2008 because he saw this as an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, but Packers general manager Ted Thompson refused to let that happen. He was traded to the New York Jets and patiently waited until he had the opportunity to head to Minnesota.

The beginning of the 2009 season was an exciting one for Vikings fans, as they had a team that looked to be ready to make a Super Bowl run and they did just that, albeit coming up a bit short.

The first game ended up being a 34-20 victory with Favre throwing for 210 yards and a touchdown. The game was competitive early but the Vikings took over in the second half and third-year star running back Adrian Peterson put an exclamation mark on the game.

With less than seven minutes remaining, Peterson took a handoff and took it 64 yards for a touchdown to put the game completely out of reach for the Browns. It was the longest and best run of his 182-yard, three-touchdown performance but that last run was a Sports Center top-10 type play.

Peterson took the ball up the left sideline and when the defender Eric Wright came upon him, Peterson shoved him away like he was yesterday’s lunch.

The play set the tone for a special season and Peterson, as epitomized in this singular play, always brought a sense of excitement.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

Drafting Randy Moss
Vikings 1997 Wild Card Comeback
Jarius Wright Walks Off the Jets
Jared Allen traded to Vikings
Adrian Peterson Sets Rushing Record
Brett Favre Revenge Tour
Bud Grant Rocks a Polo in Freezing Temperatures

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