Peterson due for big effort

What could be worse than having to face Minnesota rookie running back Adrian Peterson again after he's already set a rushing record against you earlier this season?

How about having to face an ultra-motivated and still confident Peterson, who is coming off his worst game of the season at San Francisco, where he was held to just 3 yards on 14 attempts?

This could get ugly, folks.

"It was frustrating," Peterson said of his afternoon against the 49ers. "That's the worst game I've ever played since I've been playing football."

But …

"(My) confidence is still high," he said. "Last week's game really put things in perspective: It's the NFL and the guys on the other side of the ball get paid, too. You're not going to always go out and have a big game.

"When a game like that comes around, you've got to really look at yourself in the mirror and see what things you could've done better.

"It's not going to do anything but make me better."

And despite going against a Bears defense that is wallowing near the bottom of the league in stopping the run (123.7 yards per game) and has been watching defensive tackles drop like flies, the dazzling rookie is taking nothing for granted heading into Monday's game.

"I'm really just looking at the tape and trying to correct the things I could have done better and just looking forward to this week," said Peterson, who ran wild for 224 yards against the Bears in October. "It's just coming out, working harder, practicing harder and just being more critical to the details."

Vikings coach Brad Childress has no doubt he'll see an improved effort from the rookie on Monday.

"That's what great about the game -- it's always 'what have you done for me lately?' " Childress said. "We didn't run it as well last week and Adrian was held down."

But that doesn't mean the Vikings won't go right back to their bread and butter -- Peterson -- who is second in the NFL in rushing with 1,200 yards, just 17 yards behind Pittsbugh's Willie Parker, despite carrying the ball 108 fewer times than Parker.

To repeat, Peterson's only 17 yards behind Parker despite 108 fewer carries.

"Like the Bears, we're always going to fight to establish (the running game) because it sets your physical tempo," Childress said. "We don't know what their game plan will be or how many people they're going to commit to the run.

"But there's no doubt we're going to try."

Just like they did in October, when Peterson and Taylor combined for 307 yards rushing against the Bears' once vaunted defense.

"Two horses are definitely better than one," Peterson said. "When you've got a guy who rushed for over 1,200 yards last year, that's a pretty good combination.

"It's really the same mind-set as the first time (against the Bears), knowing that these guys are going to come in ready to stop the run -- especially after the first game. I'm just preparing myself in practice and being really detailed in my footwork and being patient and letting the game come to me.

"That's what I'm going to focus on for the weekend and we'll see how things show on the field Monday night."

It's just that kind of attitude by the kid out of Oklahoma who has won over Vikings players and coaches this season.

"He's great from the standpoint that he knows he doesn't do anything without the guys standing in front of him -- including the tight ends and the fullback," Childress said. "Obviously, he has a little bit of equity the first time he runs the football.

"There's not a coach in the world who doesn't love talented players."