NFL Nation

          Vikings finding new ways to unleash Jerick McKinnon

          MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings have made Adrian Peterson the fulcrum of their offense all year, and with good reason: Peterson leads the NFL with 1,418 yards heading into the final week of the season.

          But in the past two weeks, the Vikings have added an element to their running game, finding new ways to make second-year player Jerick McKinnon the change-of-pace option they thought he could be when they drafted him in the third round in 2014.

          McKinnon caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown a week ago, running six routes as a receiver, according to ESPN Stats and Information. On Sunday, the Vikings put McKinnon out wide twice and in the slot once, also handing him the ball on a jet sweep that would've gone for a touchdown had it not been wiped out by a Matt Kalil false start. The Vikings faked a jet sweep to McKinnon on Peterson's 15-yard play-action screen in the third quarter, and McKinnon finished with seven carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns, putting an exclamation point on the night with a 68-yard score in the fourth quarter.

          "I said here last weekend in front of you guys that he’s probably one of the most talented players on the team, if not the most talented," Peterson said. "I have a lot of respect for him; he’s eager to learn and he’s always asking questions. He’s impressive. So when he’s out there I feel comfortable with knowing that he can get the job done."

          McKinnon was a triple-option quarterback in college and said on Sunday night the diverse role he played in college has helped him get used to a NFL career where he's being asked to contribute in a number of different ways. It's taken the Vikings a while to find the right fit for him, but his speed and versatility could turn him into a dangerous weapon, especially when he's on the field at the same time as Peterson, as he was for several snaps on Sunday night.

          Here are some notes and observations on the offense from Sunday's win:

          Total offensive plays: 70

          Wide receivers

          Notes: Wright had one of his best days of the season, catching an 18-yard sideline pass from Teddy Bridgewater as he rolled out away from pressure and gaining 21 yards after he beat defensive back Trevin Wade on a crossing route. He finished with three catches for 57 yards. The case of Charles Johnson, as they say, gets curiouser and curiouser. The receiver, whose role has dried up since Diggs took his job as the starting split end, didn't play an offensive snap on Dec. 10 against Arizona and was inactive on Sunday despite returning from an ankle injury. He was Bridgewater's favorite receiver the second half of last season, but with Diggs outplaying him, he hasn't been able to get on the field.

          Running backs

          Notes: Peterson had only 60 yards on his first 19 carries, before breaking a 39-yard run in the third quarter. His 39-yarder was his 10th run of 20 yards or more this season, which is third in the NFL behind Doug Martin (13) and Todd Gurley (12). Peterson now has five seasons with at least 10 runs of 20 yards or more; his first three were in his first three seasons, and he had an unfathomable 27 runs of 20+ yards in 2012.

          Tight ends

          Notes: Peterson's 39-yard run came between blocks from Rudolph and Ellison, and was his seventh run of 20+ yards with two or more tight ends on the field. It was his fifth in the Vikings' three-tight end set -- Pruitt was on the left side of the line -- and it added to an impressive night for Rudolph, who did a nice job stemming his route outside to set up Giants safety Craig Dahl before turning back inside to catch a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater.

          Quarterback

          Notes: Bridgewater was more willing to test the Giants' 32nd-ranked pass defense downfield, throwing eight of his 25 passes at least 10 yards in the air, and attempting six that traveled at least 15 yards, according to ESPN Stats and Information. He hasn't gone down the field that frequently since the Vikings' win over the Lions on Oct. 25. He only pulled the ball down to run twice, but had one of his more impressive runs of the year on a third-and-7 in the third quarter, when he scrambled to his left, reversed field and deked away from George Selvie before sliding to a first down.

          Offensive line:

          Notes: As has been the case for much of the season, the Vikings were more effective opening holes for Peterson than they were protecting Bridgewater. The quarterback was pressured on 50 percent of his dropbacks, according to ESPN Stats and Information, but Vikings runners gained 169 of their 222 yards (not including kneel-downs) before contact. That was the highest number of yards before contact the Vikings have gained on the ground since a win over the Lions in November 2012. The Vikings' pass protection problems resided mostly on the edges, where both Kalil and Clemmings gave up a sack to speed rushes from Robert Ayers and Jason Pierre-Paul, respectively.