Adrian Peterson with his eye on an improbable 2,000 yards

The most improbable of 2,000-yard seasons is in sight for Adrian Peterson.

It’s not going to be easy but then again who figured half that total would be easy for the running back, who is still less than 12 months removed from ACL reconstruction surgery. Peterson leads the NFL with 1,446 yards and will need 554 in the final four games to reach 2,000. That’s an average of 138.5 per game.

He hasn’t ruled out making a run at Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105.

That sounds good,” the Peterson said Thursday, according to Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"I'm always looking up to 2,000, 2,500 yards," Peterson said. "But I've made it real simple for myself. Go out and ball out every game. Go 100 percent with every opportunity I have and the work I've put in will show. That's all I do."

Peterson is running this season as good or better than he ever did before in what is already a storied career. Few thought he would be ready for the start of the season and he was. Now, he keeps chugging even though the Vikings’ offense has become terribly one-dimensional with the inability to throw the ball with quarterback Christian Ponder.

"Through the midst of it, you only have to have one believer," Peterson said. "I definitely believed. Do I feel faster? Not necessarily. I don't know. If I am, I really can't tell that big a difference."

Only six running backs have reached the 2,000-yard pinnacle previously. Peterson, coming off a 210-yard game against the Packers, doesn’t face any bad run defenses down the stretch. Here are the opponents and their run defense ranking:

Chicago – 10th
at St. Louis – 13th
at Houston – 2nd
Green Bay – 15th

It’s possible for Peterson to hit 2,000 yards but he’s going to need some big performances. No one but him thought it would be possible.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

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