Adrian Peterson ran for 60 yards, but actually gashed the Chiefs

Oct 18, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston (50) during the third quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Chiefs 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs defense fought hard against Adrian Peterson, but couldn't beat a churning clock. Brace Hemmelgarn USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday, Adrian Peterson found a defender in his face soon after nearly every handoff.

The Chiefs stopped the Vikings star, but they couldn't stop the clock. And in an ugly, grind-it-out kind of game, that made all the difference.

"We knew that coming into the game -- we were playing with a physical group," Peterson told ESPN's Ben Goessling. "It was going to be a good challenge for us, and we just wanted to be out there and try to establish the run game. Those one-, two-, and three-yard gains help us keep some drives alive."

Peterson tallied 26 carries for only 60 yards. But behind his bruising runs, his team earned the crucial time of possession (33:07) advantage.

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater picked up some slack, too. His ineffective outing was peppered with just enough conversions to put the game out of reach for Kansas City.

(h/t ESPN)

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