Fansided

Every NFL team’s greatest rushing season of all time

By Russell S. Baxter

CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 23: Running back Eric Dickerson #29 of the Los Angeles Rams runs with the football during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals as rain falls at Riverfront Stadium on September 23, 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Rams defeated the Bengals 24-14. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 23: Running back Eric Dickerson #29 of the Los Angeles Rams runs with the football during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals as rain falls at Riverfront Stadium on September 23, 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Rams defeated the Bengals 24-14. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – SEPTEMBER 16: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the football against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 16, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts won 23-20. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – SEPTEMBER 16: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the football against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 16, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts won 23-20. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson (2012)

The team has had its share of phenomenal running backs such as Chuck Foreman, Bill Brown and Robert Smith. Dalvin Cook spent six seasons in the Twin Cities, running for a combined 5,993    yards and 47 scores while being named to the last four Pro Bowls.

The last time a player other than a quarterback captured league MVP honors was 2012. Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson finished the season with 2,097 yards rushing, the second-highest single-season total in league annals behind the Rams’ Eric Dickerson (2.105) in 1984.

In 2012, Leslie Frazier’s team won four of its first six games. However, Peterson ran for only a combined 499 yards and two touchdowns and was held below 100 yards on the ground five times. It was a much different story the rest of the regular season. A total of 235 carries added up to an impressive 1,598 yards (6.8 yards per carry) and 10 scores. The talented runner rushed for 100-plus yards in all but one of those contests. In fact, Peterson rushed for at least 150 yards in seven of those 10 outings.

In the playoff meeting with the rival Packers, Peterson carried 22 times for 99 yards. However, the undermanned Purple Gang fell at Lambeau Field, 24-10.

Next: New England Patriots

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