Record reality check for Vikings' Peterson

MANKATO, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who has said he will break Emmitt Smith's career rushing record of 18,355 yards, was asked by the Minneapolis Star Tribune to predict when that will happen.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Peterson, who is 9,506 yards away, started doing the math.

"Oh boy," he said. "I have to do some calculations. I've been in the league seven years. I'm already right around (9,000). Calculate it out ... Let's think. Maybe get a couple 2,000-yard seasons ... I've got ... Hmmm ... 2017."

The paper then asked what week in 2017.

"Man," he said. "I better go late. I'm already getting too far in front of myself. I'll say Week 16. There it is. Week 16 in 2017. Whoo. That's pushing it, huh? But hey, pushing it is the only way to do it. You know it."

That would give Peterson 79 games to do it. He'd need to average 120.3 yards in those games.

--Team correspondents for The Sports Xchange contributed material for this story.