Your Belated Weekly Power Rankings Round-Up

A little slow on the uptake with this one, but we're getting around to it none the less. As you would expect, after they're somewhat surprising victory in Week 14, the Vikings are moving up a little bit in the Power Rankings across the internet.

Starting, as we're wont to do, with the folks from SB Nation, they've jumped the Vikings up three notches to number 14 on this week's list.

Everyone keeps talking about what Adrian Peterson needs to hit 2,000 yards (134 yards per game). What about what he needs to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record? 169 yards per game.

Yes, the AP-2000 has Dickerson in his sights, as he told Sports Illustrated's Peter King after this week's game. Yes, 169 yards/game is a tall order, particularly with the rushing defenses he has ahead of him. But, really, who's going to doubt him at this point? SB Nation has the Green Bay Packers moving up one notch to #6, the Chicago Bears dropping a whopping six spots to #15, and the Detroit Lions falling four places to #26. Minnesota's opponent this coming Sunday, the St. Louis Rams, moves up five spots to #19.

Okay, Eric has been doing a fine job, so it's only right that I give him second billing here again. Eric has moved our favorite football team up two spots, placing them at #15 for this week.

Who needs a good quarterback when you have Adrian Peterson running over everything in his path? The playoffs are still a long shot, but it appears that Leslie Frazier knows his team's identity.

Yes, to crib from Clint Eastwood, it appears that Leslie Frazier is a man who knows his limitations. . .and that his star running back, at this point, has no limitations. Eric has Green Bay moving up one spot to number six, Chicago falling four spots to #12, and Detroit dropping four spots to #26. The Rams move up a spot to #17.

Leaving the safe harbor of SB Nation and heading around the web, we pull into port first at ye olde ESPNe. They had the Vikings at #17 last week as well. . .seems to have been a popular number. . .but they only move Minnesota up one spot to #16 on this week's list.

In the era of the quarterback, a running back shall lead them. Can the Vikes ride Adrian Peterson into the NFC playoffs?

I don't know if they can or not. . .but it sure as hell is going to be fun to watch them try, isn't it? The Packers move up one place to #6, Chicago drops down three to #11, and Detroit falls four notches to #25. The Rams are just behind the Vikings, according to ESPN, moving up two places to #17.

Brian Billick and the folks from Fox Sports are up next on our journey. He apparently likes the Vikings a lot, as he moves the purple and gold up five spots to #14 this week.

Adrian Peterson had a career-high 31 carries on Sunday, but I'm not sure the Vikings can continue to win with Christian Ponder playing this way. Every time he drops back you just assume he is going to make some type of mistake.

Hey, Christian Ponder hasn't been playing very well. And water? Still wet. Fox Sports has the Packers holding steady at #6, the Bears falling two spots to #12, and the Lions dropping one place to #23. St. Louis holds firm at #17 in their rankings.

Over at NFL.com, they give the Vikings a slightly smaller lift, moving them up just one spot to #17. And hey, they actually mention someone that isn't Adrian Peterson or Christian Ponder, and for good reason.

We can't stop talking about Adrian Peterson. Man, he looked explosive on that 51-yard run on the game's first play. How about rookie Harrison Smith, though? Not many safeties go high in the draft these days, and yet the kid from Notre Dame took an interception to the house for a 56-yard touchdown and is a lock on everyone's all-rookie team.

Hooray for Harrison Smith, ladies and gentlemen! Three interceptions for the rookie on the season (two of which went back for scores), and he looks like a real keeper. The folks at NFL.com moved Green Bay up one spot to #6, pushed the Bears down two spots to #10, and drop Detroit five places to #26. This is the first set of rankings that actually has St. Louis ahead of Minnesota, as the Rams come in at #16 in these rankings.

Next up, we come to Pete Prisco over at CBS Sports. He moves Minnesota up two spots to #17. . .man, that number is everywhere. . .and asks the same question a lot of people are asking.

Can Adrian Peterson run this team into the playoffs? It's starting to look possible.

Of course, on the same page as the Power Rankings at CBS Sports, there's a link to the right-hand side to a story where Prisco picks the Rams to beat Minnesota. No biggie. Prisco moves the Packers up one spot to #6, drops the Bears three places to #11, and pushes Detroit down a notch to #25. The Rams are, once again, right behind Minnesota, as they rank #18 here.

And that's what we've got for this week, ladies and gentlemen. Feel free to add your input, as always.