Adrian Peterson sees more action in passing game

The Vikings coaching staff has reportedly been wanting to get RB Adrian Peterson more involved in the passing game.  It came to fruition on Sunday, as AP racked up season-highs in catches (5) and receiving yards (76).  He had totaled just 11 catches for 49 yards in his first 7 games.  "Five catches for 76 yards for Adrian out of the backfield? That's huge," HC Leslie Frazier said. "And part of that is Christian [Ponder] being able to make some plays in the passing game. It forces people to loosen up a little bit, and he's smart enough (to say), 'OK, I can't throw over the top of your defense. I'll check it down to a guy who, in the open field, is tough to bring down."  Passing game production has really been the only thing missing from Peterson's arsenal over the past 4 seasons.  He's a must-start regardless, but a few extra touches can only help his week-to-week consistency.