NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Adrian Peterson can hardly sleep, so eager for the Minnesota Vikings to finally open the season after their playoff loss last January.Ive been wired up, and Ill be ready to roll Sunday, Peterson said.Yes, the Vikings may not have been saying who their starting quarterback would be Sunday in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans. With the defending NFL rushing leader healthy and available, everyone knows exactly who the Vikings will run their offense through.If we didnt have a guy like him, that would make this thing a lot harder than what it is, Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said of the NFLs 2012 MVP.Zimmer said hed be sugar-coating it by calling the loss of Teddy Bridgewater to a dislocated knee and torn ACL on Aug. 30 as anything but a big blow. The Vikings, who went 11-5 winning the 3-13 last season to wind up with the No. 1 draft pick that was traded away for more selections, Tennessee has 22 new players .The Titans also are starting the season at home for the first time since 2012 -- two head coaches ago -- with Mike Mularkey now the third after being given the job for good in January.Linebacker Brian Orakpo said its time to show fans what the Titans can do with all the changes.Theyve been waiting all offseason for the opportunity to see the new-look Titans, and we cannot disappoint, Orakpo said.Here are some things to watch as the Vikings open against the Titans:RUN RUN RUN: Peterson led the NFL in rushing last season, and the Titans now have the running back who held that title for 2014. Tennessee believes DeMarco Murray, who was with Peterson for one season at Oklahoma, is poised to bounce back after an ugly season in Philadelphia. Whenever Murray needs a break, Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry will be ready to come in.ON THE TAKE: With all 11 starters back from a unit that surrendered an average of 19.3 points per game last season, fifth fewest in the league, the Vikings have the potential to field one of the NFLs best defenses. That means producing more takeaways after causing 22 last year, 18th in the league.Thered be no better week to get going toward that goal than this, against a Tennessee team that matched Dallas for the most turnovers in the NFL last season with 33. Weve been saying that we wanted more turnovers, more turnovers, so this is the year for us to take that next step, Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said, adding: Were just going to stay within the scheme, try to get better and try to do what we can do. Just go out there and dominate and ball out.PROTECT THAT BALL: For all the great stats Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota put up as a rookie, hes spent lots of time this offseason trying to cut down one big number: six lost fumbles. Its going to be a test this week, Mariota said. I think those guys up front for that defense do a good job of swiping up the ball and stuff. Its going to be a real test this week. Its just something that hopefully Ive kind of corrected and Ill take care of it.HES MY IDOL: Dick LeBeau, going into his 58th NFL season, is Tennessees defensive coordinator this season, and Zimmer is a big fan. Hes an unbelievable coach, Zimmer said of LeBeau. He has done it for a long time. Hes in the Hall of Fame, which is a great, great honor. He loves football, he loves coaching and he always has his guys prepared.Zimmer went against LeBeau while Cincinnatis defensive coordinator between 2008 and 2013, with LeBeau in the same job for Pittsburgh.STARTING OFF: The Titans have won three straight season openers, tied for the fourth-longest streak in the NFL. All three of those came on the road, and Tennessee went a combined 9-36 after those opening victories. The last time they opened a season at home in 2012, the Titans lost 34-13 to New England.---AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker Aaron Nola Jersey . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. 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RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman ripped into the NFL on Thursday, questioning the leagues officiating and saying the decline in television ratings is due in part to the league simply not being fun anymore.Sherman touched on a number of topics, including Commissioner Roger Goodell, but most of his ire was directed at NFL officiating. Sherman wasnt so much upset with the officials, but with the rule book that he believes is too challenging.You have a bunch of rocket scientists writing rules for a simple game. Like I said before, they say they ask coaches and players about rules and rule changes but they really dont take what they say into account because the game is entirely too difficult to officiate, Sherman said. To be written by coaches and players, to be influenced by coaches and players, this game would be a lot more simplified for the refs.Sherman was critical of the calls after Seattles 25-20 loss to New Orleans last Sunday. The Seahawks were flagged for 11 penalties versus just two for the Saints. A number of those penalties were called on Seattles secondary. Safety Earl Thomas was flagged for illegal contact, cornerback DeShawn Shead was called for defensive holding that kept a scoring drive alive for New Orleans, and Sherman was called for defensive holding on a key third down in the fourth quarter.But what seemed to irritate Sherman the most was a pair of possible calls that were not made. New Orleans appeared to twice get away with offensive pass interference in the second half. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said he had discussions with the league about the non-calls but would not elaborate.There are some other things that happened in that game that we learned from, Carroll said. Like I told you, I wanted to gain some information on how they discern the action between the receivers and (defensive backs) and what was going on there.dddddddddddd. It was a good exchange.Sherman was more than happy to say the league informed the team those plays should have been penalties on the Saints.We probably lead the league in NFL apologies the next day, Sherman said.As for the ratings decline, Sherman said players are allowed to show they are having fun in other leagues but the NFL has regulated that element out of the game.Every other league you see players have a good time, he said. Its a game. This isnt politics. This isnt justice. This is entertainment and theyre no longer allowing the players to entertain. Theyre no longer allowing the players to show any personality. Any kind of uniqueness, any kind of individuality because they want to control the product. They want to control the messaging.Sherman said he believes its hypocritical that the league says its crackdown on players having fun is to be good influences for kids.Thats their biggest ploy is that you dont want to be a bad influence to kids. You dont want to be a bad role model. And I can agree with that, Sherman said. But in the same breath you cant say Budweiser is the official sponsor of the NFL and were trying to influence kids. There is a ton of hypocrisy but it doesnt matter because we dont control it.Game notes DE Michael Bennett underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a cartilage injury in his right knee. Hes expected to be out two to three weeks. ... LT Bradley Sowell (knee) was a limited participant in practice Thursday. If he cant play Monday rookie George Fant will make his second straight start. ... 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