Minnesota Vikings: 3 Bold predictions vs. 49ers in NFC Divisional Round
3. Cook will continue to be focal point for Vikings
Dalvin Cook has been stellar on the ground and out of the backfield for the Vikings, and he continued that trend while getting back to being healthy in the NFC Wild Card victory over last weekend in New Orleans.
In the win last Sunday afternoon in the opening round of the playoffs, Cook was by far the best and most impactful player within the Vikings offense, doing just about everything both in the running game and in the passing attack for Minnesota.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The running back, who sat out the final two regular-season games while dealing with a shoulder and chest injury, returned to form for the Vikings out of the backfield to lead the way for Minnesota.
In the game, Cook finished the contest with 28 carries for a total of 94 yards and two touchdowns in the running game, all of which were team-best marks. In the passing attack, he also made an impact with three catches for 36 yards, being targeted a total of five times while grabbing a game-long reception of 19 yards.
This week against another tough opponent, Cook will have his work cut out for him once again at Levi’s Stadium.
Going into the postseason, the 49ers gave up an average of 281.8 total yards per game to opposing offenses this season, which ranked second-best in the NFL. In the running game specifically, San Francisco gave up an average 112.6 yards per contest, which ranked 17th in the league.
Cook has been a key piece to Minnesota and what it’s able to accomplish on the offensive end of the field, and he will continue to be the focal point of the Vikings offense while taking on the 49ers this Saturday in the NFC Divisional Round.