The Minnesota Vikings have taken the Adrian Peterson situation head-on by punting.

After de-activating their star running back last week when he was indicted on a Texas felony charge for injuring his four-year-old son by “whupping” him with a switch, the Vikings reversed field on Monday and said they will let the legal process run its course before taking any action on Peterson. Oh, and Peterson will play this week, and most likely the rest of the season, unless the NFL?issues a suspension.

The Vikings’ owners and administration won’t try to pass judgment on Peterson, which would require them to take a principled stand on his actions, or on the issue of corporal punishment and child abuse. In the meantime, Peterson’s considerable talent will be put back to work on the field.

This would seem to throw the Vikings’ voluminous code of conduct, installed after the infamous “Love Boat” incident, right out the window. It also breaks the precedent set when rookie defensive back Chris Cook was charged with assaulting his girlfriend. The Vikings suspended Cook while the legal process took its course, and he sat out ten games before he was acquitted.

The Vikings might win a game or two with Peterson in the lineup, but they have lost a lot of integrity with this decision.