Will Adrian Peterson be back in time to save the Vikings?

The Vikings might be getting their franchise player back in time for a playoff push.

After a 5-0 start to their season, no team was hotter than the Minnesota Vikings. However, as the past has shown, fast starts can be very deceiving by season’s end.

It seems the Vikings could be the 2016 edition of an early pretender. Minnesota has lost five of their last six games and is reeling right now. Sam Bradford has two feet back on Earth again, and the defense has not looked as formidable as it once did. So when news arises that Adrian Peterson could be returning soon, you tend to stop and listen.

Reports surfaced that on Tuesday morning that Peterson was seen sprinting alongside Vikings at practice. Head coach Mike Zimmer said this was not the first time AP had run since tearing his meniscus in September.

His words were promising, even if they were not all too convincing: “He’s doing good. He’s doing good. He’s probably ahead of schedule, I guess. I don’t know” (Star Tribune). A remark of “I guess” sounds like Zimmer just doesn’t feel like dealing with the media at the moment. Regardless, it is a good sign Peterson has made progress since going down in Week 2.

At 31 years old, who knows what AP really has left to give? We are all fully aware of what he has done throughout his career and what he is capable of at full strength.

That said, Father Time is undefeated, and injuries have taken a toll on Peterson. The Vikings find themselves in a heated division race where they are losing traction on a playoff spot. Minnesota is currently last in the NFL in terms of rushing, so even a limited version of “All Day” would be beneficial. Still, that can’t do much about the quarterback position. Oops, I went there.