Vikings RB Adrian Peterson made an accusation that an unknown Bucs defender intentionally tried to hurt him when the teams played on Nov. 16 in Tampa.

While talking to reporters in Arizona reporters in advance of Sunday's Vikings-Cardinals game, Peterson was asked about his aggressive running style and whether he's considered toning it down to reduce the chance of injury.

Here's what he said: "I hear that from so many different people, 'When three guys got you wrapped up it might be in your best interest to go down," he said. "It was kind of hard for me to take that until I took a shot to my knee. I want to say it was the Tampa Bay game. Some guys are really out there to hurt you. I found that out that game.

"It was a play where I was being held up and the whistle was blown. I wasn't going anywhere, and I just kept fighting for yards and a guy that wasn't in the play just came in and dove straight for my knee and tried to take me out. It is really all about being smart. I have learned a lot and took heed of that."

Not sure who the alleged culprit is, but Peterson seems pretty sure of himself, for whatever it's worth.

UPDATE, 4:06 p.m.: Colleague Sean Jensen of the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press explains that Peterson apparently knows who it is but didn't divulge the player's name. Here's Jensen's blog post. It appears it's a linebacker.

I'll flip through my DVR when I get home to see whether I still have the game recorded. I'll let you know whether I find anything.