Vikings offense does just enough

Adrian Peterson emerged from a dressing room with his left ring finger wrapped in a bandage and his entire body probably wrapped in aches and pains from the pounding he endured.

In a different room down the hallway at TCF Bank Stadium, Teddy Bridgewater lamented his mistakes — three in particular — that made him wish for a do-over.

The Vikings won, mind you, but it wasn't an artistic masterpiece, certainly not for the guys who carry 1 and 1A duties for the offense.

Peterson managed only 60 yards rushing on 26 carries, and Bridgewater threw two interceptions, including one in the end zone.

Usually that's a recipe for a loss. A bad loss.

But the Vikings defense saved their bacon against the one-win Kansas City Chiefs in a 16-10 victory that, if accompanied by music, would sound a lot like teeth grinding.

It was painful to watch at times.

They certainly got their money's worth. One play in the fourth quarter highlighted their tough sledding.

Clinging to a 13-10 lead with five minutes remaining, the Vikings faced a third-and-1 at the Kansas City 27-yard line.

Peterson was on the sideline with a jammed finger and because Matt Asiata had given the offense a little spark.

Bridgewater faked a handoff and rolled to his right. Tight end Rhett Ellison was wide open for what looked like a simple pitch and catch.

But Bridgewater said linebacker Justin Houston got enough pressure to disrupt his touch, and the pass sailed high and incomplete.

"That's the play that I'm most upset about," Bridgewater said. "Wish I could have thrown a better ball."

Bridgewater's performance was uneven in the absence of a viable running game. He passed for 249 yards and showed nice chemistry with rookie Stefon Diggs. Their 30-yard connection on third-and-15 in the fourth quarter was one of those game-defining plays that coaches and players often reference.

But Bridgewater also missed some throws he normally makes, and his two interceptions kept the game closer than it needed to be.

His interception in the end zone on the opening drive was a poor decision. He tried to squeeze a pass to Kyle Rudolph in traffic on what should have been a throwaway.

His interception early in the fourth quarter was more a product of an alert defensive play than a poor decision or throw.

"A great play by him," Bridgewater said.

As limited as the Chiefs are on offense, their defense — particularly their front seven — gave the Vikings fits in terms of establishing their identity.

Peterson had nowhere to run. Twelve of his 26 carries went for either no gain or negative yards. The Chiefs kept Peterson hemmed in the backfield, resulting in one negative run after another.

"I tell you, [defensive end Allen Bailey] grabbed me one time and slung me down," Peterson said. "I was able to feel the force that he has. That guy is extremely strong."

The Vikings offensive line lost its matchup decisively. They struggled to open even a sliver of running room for Peterson, who averaged only 2.3 yards per carry.

Peterson didn't disclose too many details about his jammed finger, other than it happened early in the game. He didn't sound concerned.

If anything, he said his body feels refreshed after the bye, though it was hard to know since he kept running into a brick wall.

"You look at the yards and you wouldn't think that [I'm] satisfied or happy with how thing played out," he said. "But I am."

Happy because they won on a day when he was rendered ineffective and his quarterback made a few costly mistakes.

That's not a script they should follow too often.