Vikings proved they can win without cooking
After he missed a bunch of time during his first two seasons with the team, the Vikings have been able to get a full dose of Dalvin Cook this year. Cook has been one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2019 and he’s one of the main reasons for Minnesota’s success this season.
However, the Broncos defense did a nice job of not letting the Vikings’ running back hurt them on the ground on Sunday. Denver was able to hold Cook to just 26 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in their loss to Minnesota.
His rushing total on Sunday was the fewest yards he has gained on the ground in a single game all season. The only other time Cook finished with fewer than 40 rushing yards this year came back in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears and that resulted in a loss for Minnesota.
The Vikings’ top running back was able to add a little more to the team’s offense as a receiver on Sunday, but overall, the Broncos held him in check and prevented him from being any sort of factor.
Typically, Cook not being able to make a difference would lead to Minnesota getting a loss. However, the Vikings didn’t panic on Sunday and proved that they are still capable of winning games even if one of their top offensive weapons is shut down by the opposing defense.
It’s a good sign for Minnesota since a lot of their remaining opponents this season are likely going to put their focus on stopping Cook. Hopefully, the Vikings remember Sunday’s result the next time their running back is kept in check by an opposing defense.