Mike Zimmer: Adrian Peterson's knee injury thought to be minor

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered a right knee injury and had to be helped to the locker room in the third quarter of a17-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Peterson will get an MRI on the knee Monday morning, but those close to the running back sounded hopeful he had avoided major structural damage.

Coach Mike Zimmer said he wouldn't know the extent of the injury until after Peterson had the MRI, but he didn't sound gravely concerned about it after the game.

"He might miss a week. I don't know if he will or not," Zimmer said. "Whatever it was has calmed down now, so we'll see."

Peterson slightly twisted the knee at the end of a 5-yard run. His right foot was briefly stuck under the upper leg of Kyler Fackrell as the Packers linebacker brought him to the ground.Peterson left with 3:32 to play in the third quarter.

He hobbled off the field with the assistance of athletic trainers. After being examined on the sideline, Peterson hopped through a field-level club at the team's new stadium toward the Vikings' locker room.

Upon arriving in the locker room, Peterson was quickly ruled out.

He was later seen using crutches with a large, black brace around the knee.

The 2015 NFL rushing leader, who had just 19 carries for 31 yards last week against the Tennessee Titans, was injured on his longest run of the night.

He had gained only 19 yards on 12 carries, though his presence had helped Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford hit Stefon Diggs on a pair of long strikes when the Packers were loading up to stop Peterson.

Peterson suffered a devastating left knee injury in 2011 -- tearing both his ACL and MCL ligaments -- only to bounce back and rush for 2,097 yards in the 2012 regular season.