NFL: Step aside, Adrian Peterson; Terrelle Pryor is in a rush

Adrian Peterson has a long way to go if he wants to reach his goal of an unprecedented 2,500 yards rushing this season.

The Minnesota running back’s 93 yards with two touchdowns in the Vikings’ 34-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday weren’t bad, but they fell short of our expectations for the reigning NFL MVP.

At this rate, Peterson will finish the season with 1,488 yards rushing -- a great number but a far cry from last year’s near-record 2,097 as well as his own lofty goal for this season.

With two games to go in Week 1 of the NFL season, Peterson isn’t even the league’s leading rusher. In fact, no running back is.

Oddly enough, that honor belongs to Oakland quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who ran for 112 yards in 13 attempts during the Raiders’ 21-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Pryor broke Rich Gannon’s franchise record of 85 yards rushing by a quarterback and was one of only two players to break the 100-yard mark on Sunday. New England running back Shane Vereen was the other, with 101 yards.

The Raiders QB is on pace for 1,792 yards this year -- obviously an unrealistic expectation for a quarterback. But we should let Pryor bask in his moment while he can.

It might not last long. Washington’s Robert Griffin III and Philadelphia’s Michael Vick are playing Monday night, so we may have two more quarterbacks at or near the top of the rushing charts by the time Week 1 is in the books.

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