Minnesota Vikings: 3 Big takeaways from gut-wrenching tie
By Randy Gurzi
3. Dalvin Cook is still working his way back
Of course, the biggest takeaway is they need a new kicker as rookie Daniel Carlson missed three kicks. His last one was at the end of overtime and surely leads them to looking in another direction — like maybe Dan Bailey. However, that takeaway is too easy so we look elsewhere, like at second-year running back Dalvin Cook who is returning from a torn ACL a season ago.
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While Cook has been able to play for Minnesota, he hasn’t looked explosive yet. He rushed the ball 10 times in this game against Green Bay and managed only 38 yards. This is after getting just 40 yards off 16 rushes the week before.
It’s not an ideal start for Cooks, who looked much more explosive for the Vikings as a rookie. The good news is he’s still finding a way to make an impact. He was good for more than 50 yards receiving in each game, going for 52 this week and 55 in Week 1.
Should Cook get rolling like he was as a rookie, this team could be dangerous. Well, they already are pretty dangerous considering how they moved the ball through the air, but getting Cook up to speed could push them over the top.