Woo Hoo!  Pipeline is the 100th blog to use that tagline today!

As a result of a thoughtful co-worker, Linus and I are going to the Vikings-Bears game tonight.  I’m not sure how much Linus slept last night in anticipation of the event.  He’s never been to a Vikings game before, and he has a critical case of Adrian Peterson on the Brain.  So much so that his two suggestions to Jane for a gift to get me were:

1.  Life-size Adrian Peterson poster.

2.  Adrian Peterson jersey (which may or may not have come as part of a negotiation for a volume discount that included a smaller Adrian Peterson jersey).

Yes, we have discussed the scary future the Madden ‘09 version of Adrian Peterson portends.

I’ve never been to a MNF game.  I’m told it’s a whole new level of intensity because the players are so amped.  It’s an important game for the Vikings, who can control their own destiny to the playoffs, and still could catch the Giants to move up a spot.  But, a loss tonight throws them back into a race with Washington and New Orleans, primarily, which makes the following week’s Sunday night game against Washington even more critical than tonight’s game, potentially.

The nation gets to see Adrian Peterson tonight; many have only seen him on highlight packages.  He was certainly mortal last week against the Niners, gaining only 3 yards for the game, but they threw the kitchen sink at him and opened themselves up to the rest of the offense, losing 27-7.  The first Bears game was Peterson’s 224-yard explosion and coming-out party, so it will be interesting to see what happens tonight.  Whether it’s Peterson or Chester Taylor, I expect the Vikings to consistently gain yards running the ball.

As I have written before, I have extraordinary luck in seeing NFL records, having seen 6 in only 4 lifetime NFL games.  That ratio can’t last, obviously, but would it be too much to ask for 300 rushing yards by Adrian Peterson?