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Adrian Peterson rushes for 211 yards, reaches 10,000-yard milestone

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson breaks into the clear past Bears defenders James Anderson (50) and Chris Conte on Sunday.
(Ann Heisenfelt / Associated Press)
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This won’t go down as a satisfying season for Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, but it will be a milestone one.

Peterson, the league’s reigning most valuable player, surpassed 10,000 yards for his career Sunday in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears. He finished with 211 yards in 35 carries in a 23-20 overtime victory at the Metrodome.

It took Peterson 101 games to reach 10,000 yards, three more games than it took Jim Brown and 10 more than Eric Dickerson needed. Peterson crossed the threshold two games sooner than Barry Sanders.

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At 28 years and 255 days, Peterson is the sixth-youngest player to accomplish the feat. The only younger ones were Sanders (27 years, 147 days), Emmitt Smith (27 years, 197 days), Edgerrin James (28 years, 124 days), Walter Payton (28 years, 154 days) and LaDainian Tomlinson (28 years, 155 days).

Peterson had a pair of 11-yard runs to help move the Vikings into field-goal range in overtime. Blair Walsh then made a 34-yard kick for the victory.

Peterson passed the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth time in his seven seasons. The only year he failed to surpass the mark was 2011, when he played 12 games because of a knee injury.

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