6 most notable games of Dalvin Cook's Vikings Career
By Ben Donahue
Game No. 3
Wild-Card Game at New Orleans Saints in 2019 playoffs
During the 2019 season, Dalvin Cook was finally healthy enough to start 14 games and missed only two contests to injury. For most of the year, he battled Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey for the league rushing title.
Cook had several days with at least 100 rushing yards in ‘19, including 154 yards against Green Bay, 218 combined yards against the Giants, and 142 yards against Detroit. A chest injury prevented Cook from taking the 2019 rushing title, and he ended the season with 1,135 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He also added a career-high 53 receptions for 519 yards and was voted to his first Pro Bowl.
Cook saved his best game for when the Vikings needed him most. After Minnesota finished the regular season with a 10-6 record, the team faced New Orleans in the Wild Card round. Because of Cook’s season-ending injury in 2017, this was his first NFL playoff game.
Late in the second quarter, the Saints were leading 10-6 before Cook scored on a five-yard run to help Minnesota take the lead, 13-10, at halftime. Then, in the third quarter, Cook scored again, this time from a yard out to increase the Vikings’ lead to 20-10.
New Orleans would tie the game at the end of regulation before Minnesota scored in overtime to advance, 26-20. Cook’s effort for Minny that day was 94 rushing yards, two rushing scores, and 36 receiving yards.