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Minneapolis • Adrian Peterson is a former NFL MVP. Matt Asiata is a former minor-league player.
Peterson as a rookie in 2007 had a game in which he ran for an NFL-record 296 yards. It took until his third season for Asiata to run for that many.
Nevertheless, Asiata, a former University of Utah stalwart, has been faced with the prospect of replacing Peterson as the Minnesota Vikings' starting running back. Peterson was indicted last month in Texas on a felony charge of child abuse and might not play again this season.
"I'm not Adrian,'' Asiata said. "I'm not trying to be Adrian. I'm trying to be myself.''
Nobody has confused Asiata with Peterson in the four games so far he taken over for Peterson. Still, Asiata is doing enough to earn praise from those on the Vikings.
Yes, his first two games were a struggle, when Asiata ran for just 71 yards on 25 carries. But he's gained 150 yards on 35 attempts in his past two, including having scored three touchdowns Sept. 28 against Atlanta.
"He works extremely hard,'' Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt said of the third-year running back. "Even when Adrian was here, he was always preparing himself. So it's been showing up. I'm just excited to see what he can continue to do.''
The Vikings had confidence in Asiata when he first stepped in for Peterson on Sept. 14 against New England. Asiata had filled in for the star in two games last December when Peterson was hurt, running for three touchdowns against Philadelphia and gaining a career-high 115 yards against Detroit.
Prior to those games, Asiata had just three carries for nine yards during his first two seasons. He had made the Vikings in 2012 after being undrafted in 2011 and spending time with the minor-league Omaha Nighthawks.
However, his breakout games were bittersweet. The running back was playing with a heavy heart after his father, Pita Asiata, had died Oct. 28, 2013 when the tour bus he was driving crashed into a utility truck on Interstate 80 in Utah near the Nevada border. He was 53.
Pita Asiata had immigrated from Samoa to the U.S. in 1974, 13 years before Matt was born. The father and son — who starred at Hunter High School in West Valley City — were very close.
Now, Asiata, 27, plays for his father's memory.
"Every Sunday is a game for him,'' Asiata said. "I write 'Dad' on my wristband. I'll never forget my dad. He's my angel. He's my guardian angel. I play for him. … No matter where I go, he's always in the back of my mind.''
Asiata is well aware of the one-year anniversary approaching of his father's death. When Minnesota has a bye week following a Nov. 2 game against Washington, Asiata will fly home.
"We're going to celebrate his life, his one year, back home in Utah,'' Asiata said. "We're going to have a big old family eating, get to the church and just do what he loved. Just have a dance. He liked to dance. He just liked to have fun.
"The families from California (where other relatives live) and everybody will be coming down for that.''
Until then, Asiata has plenty of work to do on the field. The Vikings are 2-3 entering Sunday's home game against Detroit.
Asiata has rushed for 231 yards on 62 carries this season for a 3.7 average. He gives some credit to Peterson for sending text messages offering running tips.
"It's tough not having Adrian around here,'' Asiata said. "He's the best in the league. But just hearing little stuff [from him] motivates you to go out there and to just play hard. Whenever you get a text from a former NFL Player of the Year, I'm taking advantage of it."
Through it all, Asiata has remained on an even keel. After rushing for 78 yards and having his second career three-touchdown game in the 41-28 win over the Falcons, Asiata insisted on giving much of the credit to his teammates.
"He's as humble as it gets,'' said Vikings tackle Matt Kalil. "He's a great teammate and he's a great friend of mine. He's a guy who's not going to stop. You see some of his runs, and he just keeps running to get the first down. He's definitely going to give it his all.''
No, Asiata isn't Adrian Peterson. But there is one thing he can claim over the star.
In Peterson's first six NFL starts, he scored six touchdowns. In Asiata's first six starts, he has seven. —
Detroit at Minnesota
O Sunday, 11 a.m. TV • Fox —
NFL standings
American Conference
East W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div
Buffalo 3 2 0 .600 96 89 1-1-0 2-1-0 1-2-0 2-0-0 1-0-0
New England 3 2 0 .600 123 107 2-0-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 1-0-0 0-1-0
Miami 2 2 0 .500 96 97 1-1-0 1-1-0 2-2-0 0-0-0 1-1-0
N.Y. Jets 1 4 0 .200 79 127 1-2-0 0-2-0 1-1-0 0-3-0 0-0-0
South W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div
Indianapolis 4 2 0 .667 189 136 2-1-0 2-1-0 4-1-0 0-1-0 3-0-0
Houston 3 3 0 .500 132 120 2-1-0 1-2-0 2-1-0 1-2-0 0-1-0
Tennessee 1 4 0 .200 88 139 0-2-0 1-2-0 1-3-0 0-1-0 0-1-0
Jacksonville 0 5 0 .000 67 169 0-2-0 0-3-0 0-3-0 0-2-0 0-1-0
North W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div
Cincinnati 3 1 0 .750 97 76 2-0-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 1-0-0 1-0-0
Baltimore 3 2 0 .600 116 80 2-1-0 1-1-0 2-2-0 1-0-0 2-1-0
Pittsburgh 3 2 0 .600 114 108 1-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 1-1-0 1-1-0
Cleveland 2 2 0 .500 103 105 1-1-0 1-1-0 1-2-0 1-0-0 0-2-0
West W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div
San Diego 4 1 0 .800 133 63 3-0-0 1-1-0 3-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-0
Denver 3 1 0 .750 116 87 3-0-0 0-1-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 1-0-0
Kansas City 2 3 0 .400 119 101 1-1-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 0-1-0 0-1-0
Oakland 0 4 0 .000 51 103 0-2-0 0-2-0 0-4-0 0-0-0 0-0-0
National Conference
East W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div
Philadelphia 4 1 0 .800 156 132 3-0-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 2-0-0 1-0-0
Dallas 4 1 0 .800 135 103 2-1-0 2-0-0 2-1-0 2-0-0 0-0-0
N.Y. Giants 3 2 0 .600 133 111 2-1-0 1-1-0 2-2-0 1-0-0 1-0-0
Washington 1 4 0 .200 112 136 1-2-0 0-2-0 0-3-0 1-1-0 0-2-0
South W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div
Carolina 3 2 0 .600 104 120 2-1-0 1-1-0 3-0-0 0-2-0 1-0-0
Atlanta 2 3 0 .400 151 143 2-0-0 0-3-0 2-2-0 0-1-0 2-0-0
New Orleans 2 3 0 .400 132 141 2-0-0 0-3-0 2-2-0 0-1-0 1-1-0
Tampa Bay 1 4 0 .200 103 156 0-2-0 1-2-0 0-4-0 1-0-0 0-3-0
North W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div
Detroit 3 2 0 .600 99 79 2-1-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 1-1-0 1-0-0
Green Bay 3 2 0 .600 134 106 2-0-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 1-0-0 2-1-0
Minnesota 2 3 0 .400 101 126 1-1-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 0-1-0 0-1-0
Chicago 2 3 0 .400 116 131 0-2-0 2-1-0 1-2-0 1-1-0 0-1-0
West W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div
Arizona 3 1 0 .750 86 86 2-0-0 1-1-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 1-0-0
Seattle 3 1 0 .750 110 83 2-0-0 1-1-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-0
San Francisco 3 2 0 .600 110 106 2-1-0 1-1-0 2-2-0 1-0-0 0-1-0
St. Louis 1 3 0 .250 84 119 0-2-0 1-1-0 1-3-0 0-0-0 0-0-0
Thursday's Game
Indianapolis 33, Houston 28
Sunday's Games
Jacksonville at Tennessee, 11 a.m.
Detroit at Minnesota, 11 a.m.
Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 11 a.m.
Denver at N.Y. Jets, 11 a.m.
New England at Buffalo, 11 a.m.
Carolina at Cincinnati, 11 a.m.
Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 11 a.m.
Green Bay at Miami, 11 a.m.
San Diego at Oakland, 2:05 p.m.
Dallas at Seattle, 2:25 p.m.
Washington at Arizona, 2:25 p.m.
Chicago at Atlanta, 2:25 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m.
Open: Kansas City, New Orleans
Monday's Game
San Francisco at St. Louis, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 16
N.Y. Jets at New England, 8:25 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 19
Seattle at St. Louis, 11 a.m.
Miami at Chicago, 11 a.m.
Carolina at Green Bay, 11 a.m.
Atlanta at Baltimore, 11 a.m.
Tennessee at Washington, 11 a.m.
Cleveland at Jacksonville, 11 a.m.
Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 11 a.m.
Minnesota at Buffalo, 11 a.m.
New Orleans at Detroit, 11 a.m.
Kansas City at San Diego, 2:05 p.m.
Arizona at Oakland, 2:25 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 2:25 p.m.
San Francisco at Denver, 6:30 p.m.
Open: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay
Monday, Oct. 20
Houston at Pittsburgh, 6:30 p.m.