Adrian Peterson hoping to climb career touchdowns list against Vikings

Adrian Peterson has scored 123 touchdowns while reaching the end zone against every NFL team except the 49ers, Ravens, Jets, Colts and his old team, the Vikings.

That could change Sunday as Peterson's 14th NFL season closes in Detroit against a Vikings team that surrendered seven rushing touchdowns in a 52-33 Christmas Day beatdown in New Orleans.

While it's unlikely the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer will match Alvin Kamara's six rushing touchdowns — a feat that tied Ernie Nevers' 91-year-old NFL record — Peterson could possibly use his old squad's decimated defense to catch Walter Payton and Jim Brown on the career touchdowns list.

Peterson's 123 scores rank 12th. Payton (125) ranks 11th and Brown (126) 10th. In rushing touchdowns, Peterson's 117 rank fourth behind only Emmitt Smith (164), LaDainian Tomlinson (145) and Marcus Allen (123).

Yes, Peterson's role in the Lions offense has diminished the past three weeks. After 16 carries and two touchdowns in a win over the Bears in Darrell Bevell's debut as interim Lions coach, Peterson has had only 14 carries for 40 yards and no touchdowns in three games, the past two as D'Andre Swift's backup.

But perhaps Bevell will choose to honor Peterson by starting and featuring him against their former team in a season finale with no playoff implications. Bevell was Vikings offensive coordinator in the first four of Peterson's 10 seasons in Minnesota.

Peterson's future is uncertain. His one-year deal is up after Sunday. And he turns 36 in March.

He still wants to keep playing. Before the season, he said again how he wanted to play until he's 40. During the season, he upped the ante, saying, "Still feeling great. Still feeling amazing. I could actually play past 40."

With 541 yards rushing this season, Peterson's career total of 14,757 ranks fifth behind Smith, Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders.

Peterson needs 513 yards to pass Sanders. But first he needs a team to want his services in 2021.

Maybe his fourth game against the Vikings can help. Padding his season total of six touchdowns certainly can't hurt when it comes to coaxing another one-year deal out of another team.

If not, it's been a good run since that first touchdown back in Week 1 of the 2007 season.

About 53 minutes into that win over the Falcons, Peterson caught a screen pass from Tarvaris Jackson, turned upfield and was gone. Sixty yards down the right sideline as the Metrodome roared and Atlanta's new defensive coordinator no doubt cursed.

And that coordinator's name?

Mike Zimmer.