Inside The Vikings

Patrick Peterson Seals Vikings' Win With Two Picks, Earns Postgame Chains

Peterson, in his 12th season, had one of the biggest games of his career on Sunday.

Will Ragatz

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Patrick Peterson added another chapter to the book of his resurgent 2022 season in the Vikings' dramatic 33-30 victory over the Bills on Sunday.

Peterson is 32 years old. He's in his 12th NFL season. He's aware that people think he's lost a step, that he's no longer the player he once was. This year, he's sticking it to those people by coming up with big play after big play.

Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game in Buffalo, the Vikings trailed 27-17. They had just gotten a long Dalvin Cook touchdown run to get back into the mix, but they had a lot of work left to do. Josh Allen and the Bills were on the doorstep of responding and stretching their lead back to three scores.

Facing a fourth and 2, Allen rolled out and tried to find tight end Dawson Knox in the end zone. Peterson was there to secure the interception and run it back more than 40 yards.

That pick helped keep the Vikings alive in one of the craziest games you'll ever see. But Peterson wasn't done.

Late in overtime, with the Vikings holding onto a 33-30 lead, the Bills were once again on the doorstep. On second down, Allen fired a pass over the middle and Peterson jumped the route for his second interception of the game — the 32nd of his illustrious career. Ballgame over.

"Look at us now," Peterson said after the game.

For his efforts, Peterson was rewarded with the postgame chains treatment on the Vikings' flight back to Minnesota.

"I think we reached the mountaintop last week," Kirk Cousins said of his postgame flight celebrations, which had gotten more and more over-the-top after each of Minnesota's last three road wins. "I don't know that there's anywhere else to go from here. Someone else may have to take the mantle."

That person was Peterson, who teammates called "The Closer."

Peterson has earned that nickname this year. In Week 6 in Miami, he helped seal the deal with his first interception of the season. He had three pass breakups in that game and added three more after the bye week in a revenge game against the Cardinals, his former team.

On Sunday, he came up with two of his biggest plays of the season to help the Vikings stun the Bills in an all-timer. He's now tied for second in the NFL with 12 passes defended this season.

Peterson earned those chains.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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