7 reasons why the Vikings will beat the Packers in Week 2

Cook looks unstoppable

Heading into this season, some believed that this could finally be the year that Dalvin Cook emerges as one of the NFL’s elite running backs. Well, after his performance in the Vikings’ season-opener against the Falcons, Cook certainly seems to be heading in the right direction.

On his first three carries of the game, the Minnesota running back looked like a caged monster who had just been released for feeding time. Cook finished the matchup with 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns and he easily could have gained more if the Vikings needed him to.

This week, Minnesota and their top running back will be going up against a Packers defense that only gave up 46 rushing yards to the Chicago Bears last week. Now, this would probably be more impressive if it didn’t come against a Bears team that ranked 27th in the NFL last season in yards per carry.

Of their 15 rushing attempts against Green Bay in Week 1, only three of Chicago’s carries (20 percent) came with two tight ends on the field. Against the Falcons last Sunday, the Vikings ran the ball 20 times (52.6 percent of their carries) in formations that featured at least two tight ends.

The Packers might have done well at stopping the Bears’ run game last week. But Green Bay will be facing a much different rushing attack when they take on Minnesota this Sunday and the results could end up in the Vikings’ favor.