The Viking Age
FanSided

Minnesota Vikings: Top five takeaways vs. Tampa Bay in Week 3

By Josh Clarke

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings catches the ball for a touchdown over defender Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of the game on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Dalvin Cook #33 of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled with the ball in the first half of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 24: Dalvin Cook #33 of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled with the ball in the first half of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 24, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /

Home Cooking

After wowing Vikings fans with his first performance at U.S Bank stadium, rookie running back Dalvin Cook picked up exactly where he left off. Due to Cook’s breakaway speed, he remained a threat all game on the ground and in the air, racking up 169 total yards.

Running the ball Cook slugged it out on 27 carries for 97 yards. Looking at his stat line you may think that Cook struggled with a 3.6 yard per carry average but time and time again the Vikings opted to pound him up the middle. Whilst Cook’s main successes on the ground had come on outside runs during the first 2 weeks of the season, he demonstrated a toughness that few thought he possessed and he did some great work between the tackles gaining 82 yards after contact.  On his longest run of the game, Cook exploded through the B gap, shook an ankle tackle and juked the safety before eventually being dragged down 27 yards downfield.

Cook scored his first touchdown in the NFL in the first quarter and excelled as a receiving option out of the backfield as he caught all 5 of his targets for 72 yards. Cook’s longest catch of the day came in the 4th quarter, receiving the ball in the flats accelerating past a tackler down the right sideline before cutting inside for 36 yards. The Buccaneers may be the last team to leave him so open. If they aren’t, Cook will punish plenty more teams with his breakaway speed.

Through 3 weeks Cook has shown that he was a steal in the second round and finds himself entrenched in a battle for the league rushing title and rookie of the year honors.

Adrian who?

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