Peterson cleared to return

Running back Adrian Peterson had a follow-up magnetic resonance imaging test on his injured right knee and coach Brad Childress said, "It shows excellent healing."

Barring a setback on the practice field this week, that means Peterson, who tore his lateral collateral ligament Nov. 11 at Green Bay, can be expected to return to action in Sunday's game against Detroit.

"I would say we'd ease him back in," Childress said. "You're not going to go back there and turn over the whole load to him."

Asked if that means Chester Taylor will continue to lead off, Childress said: "Yeah, and I don't think that’s a big (deal), who steps on the field with the first personnel grouping, because it could change on second down."

In other injury news, safety Tank Williams has a sprained medial collateral ligament that could sideline him for anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks.

Wide receiver Troy Williamson, who took a blow to the head on a kickoff return, passed his impact tests and is expected to be OK.

Cornerback Antoine Winfield, who has missed three of the last four games because of a strained hamstring, is day to day.

Ticket update: As of this morning, 3,600 tickets remained for Sunday's game.

That's approximately the same number as the Monday before the last home game against Oakland, which sold out when WCCO/Channel 4 and Miller Brewing Company bought up the final 2,000 tickets.

This week's game will air locally on KMSP/Channel 9 if all tickets are sold by noon Thursday.