7 things the Vikings do better than anyone else in the NFL
By Dustin Baker
Minnesota is home to the league’s YAC leader
Vikings tailback Dalvin Cook notched 11.2 yards after the catch in 2019, which was tops in the NFL. That’s right, Cook averaged more than Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, and Aaron Jones last season. The closest bidder to Cook in this metric was Austin Ekeler with 10.2 YAC average.
This is noteworthy because it illustrates Cook’s playmaking dynamic. Not all running backs can catch passes competently, let alone make fireworks happen thereafter. Cook is the prototypical pass-catching back.
In years past, this typically indicates the player is a slasher that is easy to bring to the ground. Such is not the case for Cook. He is an agile pass-catcher that is also renowned for running defenders over. It’s a rare and profitable blend.
In the Minnesota offense, Cook is a valuable asset. Among running backs, his 519 receiving yards were the sixth-most in the NFL last year and that was in done in 14 games.
He’s currently locked in a contractual staredown with the Vikings front office. When somebody eventually blinks, Cook’s playmaking will be on full display in 2020, we hope.