3 reasons why the Vikings will remain in playoff hunt without Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic injury during Tuesday's practice, incurring a torn ACL, dislocated knee, and structural damage and was rushed to hospital.

Many prognosticators believed the Minnesota Vikings could be a fringe Super Bowl contender with Bridgewater showing marked development in the offseason. While the injury is certainly disheartening, the Vikings aren't out of the playoff race altogether.

Here are three ways the Vikings remain in the playoff hunt:

Peterson reaches over 350 attempts

Adrian Peterson will continue to be the fulcrum of the offense, but as a result of Bridgewater's injury, he'll likely face an unprecedented workload entering his 10th season. Peterson won the third rushing title of his career with 1,485 yards on 327 carries and the premier running back of his generation is now provided with added incentive to defend his crown.

Some believe it'd be patently irresponsible to provide the 31-year-old with over 350 carries, a mark that he surpassed once in his career. However, Peterson is nearly five years removed from an ACL/MCL injury and has been completely healthy ever since. It'd be unwise to stick to convention with an athlete of his caliber.

Considering that Peterson dragged a far less talented Vikings team to the playoffs in 2012 en route to a 2,097-yard campaign and MVP honors, it should be an easy decision to up his responsibilities this year. Another chapter will be added to Peterson's tremendous on-field legacy if he keeps the Vikings' trajectory afloat.

Barr, Kendricks elevate their games to new levels

Minnesota finished fifth in scoring defense last year and boasts one of the most talented units in the league. Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen emerged as genuine stars in consecutive seasons, while Harrison Smith remains one of the NFL's best free safeties. If the Vikings are to remain in contention, however, it'll be up to linebacker duo Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks to ascend to new heights.

Barr was named to the Pro Bowl last year and is quietly turning into one of the NFL's premier all-around threats. It's a frightening proposition but Barr hasn't fully tapped into his immense potential and only stands to improve in 2016, a necessity for a talented team on the ropes.

Kendricks isn't a well-known quantity yet but possesses some of the best lateral movement in the NFL, and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie Team in 2015. Coming off a 92-tackle season while working in tandem with his former collegiate teammate Barr, the 24-year-old's development will need to be accelerated quickly.

Shaun Hill provided with risk-averse playbook

Shaun Hill is slated to start in Bridgewater's absence and while he pales in comparison to divisional rival Aaron Rodgers, it's not the worst scenario the Vikings could've landed in.

Related: 5 QB options for Vikings without Teddy Bridgewater

Granted, Hill hasn't seen meaningful action since 2014 when he completed 63.3 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns against seven interceptions. Nonetheless, the 36-year-old holds a 49/30 touchdown/interception career split and he'll be able to succeed with a risk-averse playbook.

It may seem like a reductionist conclusion with Peterson in the lineup, but Hill will be tasked with controlling the clock, picking select avenues to attack downfield and avoid turnovers at all costs. Although it's highly unlikely Hill will make anyone forget about Bridgewater, he's a tenable option and holds the skill set to keep the Vikings offense ticking along into the postseason.