Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Snap Counts: Running game hits a wall

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

For the better part of a decade, the Minnesota Vikings haven't had to worry much about their running game.

Running back Adrian Peterson has averaged 4.86 yards per carry since joining the Vikings in 2007, second only to Kansas City Chiefs runner Jamaal Charles over that span.

With Peterson sidelined the Vikings have relied on grinder Matt Asiata in short yardage, sprinkling in Jerick McKinnon as a third-down back, with newcomer Ronnie Hillman earning a handful of carries here and there.

It isn't working.

The Vikings are averaging a league-worst 2.7 yards per carry heading into a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, and things didn't improve last week.

They ran the ball just 21 times against the Washington Redskins, making it tough to get a read on their running back situation.

However, Asiata's status as the starter appears to be unchanged.

He ran for just 13 yards on nine carries, while Hillman, expected to shoulder a bigger load with the running game floundering, had just four carries.

GAME 9: REDSKINS (OFFENSE)

PLAYER	PLAYS (67)	%
Berger	67	100%
Clemmings	67	100%
Fusco	67	100%
Boone	67	100%
Bradford	67	100%
Long	66	99%
Rudolph	57	85%
Thielen	57	85%
Diggs	51	76%
Patterson	44	66%
McKinnon	32	48%
Asiata	23	34%
Ellison	17	25%
Johnson	13	19%
Hillman	13	19%
Line	11	16%
Easton	10	15%
Sirles	4	6%
Wright	4	6%

GAME 9: REDSKINS (DEFENSE)

PLAYER	PLAYS (63)	%
Smith	63	100%
Sendejo	63	100%
Barr	62	98%
Waynes	59	94%
Greenway	58	92%
Robison	54	86%
Newman	51	81%
Griffen	50	81%
Rhodes	50	79%
Joseph	47	79%
Stephen	38	75%
Hunter	33	60%
Johnson	30	48%
Alexander	14	22%
Kendricks	11	17%
Cole	9	14%
Lamur	1	2%

-- Offensive tackle Jake Long is lost for the season with an Achilles injury. The notoriously frail left tackle went down with just 11 seconds remaining in the game. The Vikings then turned to Jeremiah Sirles, who allowed a game-ending sack on fourth and 17.

-- Rookie receiver Laquon Treadwell was a surprise inactive after suffering a hamstring injury in practice Thursday. He logged his first NFL catch last week on a 15-yard pass from Sam Bradford.

-- Although they approached equal playing time against the Bears, Sunday's game was the first time this season that receiver Adam Thielen has out-snapped Stefon Diggs.

-- Xavier Rhodes remains in the league's concussion protocol after leaving in the second half. Trae Waynes led all Vikings cornerbacks with 59 snaps.

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