MINNEAPOLIS —Adrian Peterson made his return to the field exactly three months to the day after suffering a torn meniscus in Week 2.
The Vikings running back's return didn't go as planned.
Peterson carried six times for 22 yards and lost a fumble in Minnesota's 34-6 loss to Indianapolis at U.S. Bank Stadium.
"Without a doubt … definitely not what we envisioned coming into this game," Peterson said. "It's unfortunate."
Peterson took a handoff on the Vikings first play from scrimmage and gained two yards. He also had a 1-yard reception on Minnesota's first drive.
Peterson's longest run of the day came with just over six minutes left in the second quarter when the Vikings entered the red zone for the first time,.
He scooted up the middle for 13 yards but coughed up the ball as the Colts took over on their own 9-yard line.
The play summed up a frustrating day for Peterson.
"Just disappointment, especially with the fumble," Peterson said. "(We were) at a critical point, down 17 (points) at the time.
"Getting into the red zone, to give up that fumble really killed the momentum," he added. "It was rough."
Peterson said the fumble was squarely on his shoulders.
"I remember switching to my left hand for a stiff arm. As I went down, the ball got loose," Peterson said. "I don't know if someone hit it out or it squirted out … it was on me with ball security."
Peterson had just two carries in the second half after the Vikings trailed 27-0 at the midway point.
"We had to drop back and start passing the ball a little bit more," Peterson said. "You look at the scoreboard and you're down by a couple touchdowns, and the running game is kind of irrelevant.
"I didn't imagine that going into today," he later added.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said Peterson wasn't limited by the knee injury he suffered in a Week 2 win over Green Bay.
"I think he was 100 percent," Zimmer said. "He looked fine."
Minnesota's all-time leading rusher agreed that his health was not a factor. He has 11,747 yards and 97 rushing touchdowns.
"I felt good, good enough to come out and play," Peterson said. "There's no excuses."
Peterson's teammates said after Sunday's loss that they were hoping a return from would provide a boost to the offense.
"Most definitely," said Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. "Getting one of the best running backs to ever play this game back, to spark the team, we just didn't play well."
Added tight end Kyle Rudolph: "He looked like Adrian at practice all week, and you see the way he runs and hits the holes, I truly thought he was going to be a nice spark for us and today was going to be a game that you have points in your season that kind of propel you on into a five, six, seven-game win streak."
Peterson, who now has 37 carries for 72 yards on the season, said he plans on playing Saturday in Green Bay.
Although it has been a tumultuous season for Peterson and the Vikings, he said he and his teammates are going to continue to push on.
"I know how a season can switch on you," Peterson said. "Unfortunately, that's what happened to us.
"We're still going to continue to fight," he added.
