Upon Further Review: Cook, Vikings defense combine to shock Packers

Take it all in, Minnesota Vikings fans, that one had to feel good.

The season clearly has not gone well for the purple but if there is ever a way to get back some mojo — a win in Lambeau Field over the NFC North-leading Green Bay Packers is a great way to start.

A win that knocked the Packers out of the No. 1 seed, at least temporarily. A win over a team favored by six points. A win that was not fluky. A win where the Vikings looked like the clearly dominant team.

Minnesota out-rushed Green Bay 173-109. It held the Packers (5-2) to three scoring drives and got them off the field twice on fourth down. Most importantly, the Vikings leaned on their best player and let him cook, so to speak.

Dalvin Cook was a beast on Sunday, rushing 30 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He added two receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown too to make some fantasy football managers out there very happy.

Minnesota’s offensive line opened holes for Cook and quarterback Kirk Cousins was efficient in limited work, going 11 of 14 for 160 yards and a score.

The defense had a great game. Sure, the Vikings gave up a trio of touchdowns to Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, but they kept his yardage in check (seven catches for 53 yards) and gave Aaron Rodgers trouble for good chunks of the game. Minnesota also lost cornerbacks Cameron Dantzler and Kris Boyd to injuries and the backups held up just enough to get the win.

Whether it was Eric Kendricks or D.J. Wonnum, the Vikings made enough plays and stringed together enough stops to slow down Green Bay and Cook did the rest.

Minnesota is 2-5 and as good as this win was for it, the playoffs are still a long shot. It may not be a sign of things to come, but in a season where so much has gone wrong, the small victories feel so much better.

Here’s a recap of Sunday’s game (Game story | Photo gallery):

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Cook was excellent against Green Bay. He consistently found the holes created by the offensive line and found ways to pick up extra yardage by powering through the interior of the defense or evading them in the open field. He became the fourth player in Vikings history to score four touchdowns in a game, something that had previously only been done by Chuck Foreman and Ahmad Rashad. Cook’s fourth touchdown — the one where he torched the entire Packers defense for a 50-yard reception to the house in the third quarter — was his best of the game.

.@DalvinCook in space.

You love to see it.

?: https://t.co/EYGyNNg0Yf pic.twitter.com/9I1iFJ472C

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 1, 2020

DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME

It is hard to steal some of the shine from Cook, but Wonnum came up big when Minnesota needed him most. After Green Bay had cut it to a six-point game, the Packers had the ball on a second-and-10 from Minnesota’s 41-yard line with 12 seconds left in the game. Rodgers rolled out to the right and just as he attempted to heave another patented Hail Mary pass to save the day again, Wonnum came crashing in and forced the game-sealing fumble.

.@DWonnum with the FINISHER!!!

?: https://t.co/EYGyNNg0Yf pic.twitter.com/ih7Y5cD2wh

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 1, 2020

No win is easy to come by in the NFL. If that had been ruled incomplete, then who knows what the Packers could have done with a few seconds on the clock. Wonnum’s only tackle of the contest was the nail in the coffin.

THAT MOMENT

Facing a fourth-and-9 from Minnesota’s 32-yard line with 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, Rodgers and the Packers needed a first down to claw into the Vikings 14-point lead. He launched a pass to tight end Robert Tonyan near the right sideline with Anthony Harris in coverage but the throw fell incomplete and the Packers turned it over on downs. Green Bay still trailed 28-14. Although it scored a touchdown on the next drive, a score there could have been the difference.

THIS NUMBER

11 — the number of receptions caught by the Vikings. It is rare that such a low number of completions is enough to win a game in the pass-happy 2020 NFL, but when your running back moves through the field like a semi truck, then it does the trick.

THEY SAID IT

“I think it’s important for, not only him, but other guys to see that as well. You know, part of the thing with D.J. is, and with all young, young players, is learning to trust your athleticism and kind of just free-throwing and playing.” — Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer on Wonnum’s final play.

“Dalvin did a great job today. Anytime you score four touchdowns you deserve some credit. He is a great, dynamic player.” — Cousins on Cook.

“I thought they did a good job. You know, he’s a tough guy to sack because he can move so well in the pocket. We didn’t allow him to scramble, except one time maybe, so that was good. We try to be careful with him because once he gets out of the pocket it’s bad news.” — Zimmer on containing Rodgers.

WHAT’S NEXT

Minnesota returns home to U.S. Bank Stadium for a noon matchup Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The Lions (3-4) fell 41-21 to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8, a game where Detroit committed two turnovers.