Week in and week out, Minnesota Vikings’ running back Dalvin Cook is proving he’s worth every penny of the five-year, $63 million contract extension he received in the offseason. The latest confirmation that the Vikings made a good decision came on Sunday when Cook rushed for a career-high 206 yards to give his team a 34-20 win over Detroit Lions.
Cook has been unstoppable so far in the season, singlehandedly carrying the stagnant Vikings’ offense. He propelled Minnesota to an upset win against divisional rivals Green Bay Packers last week with 163 rushing yards and three touchdowns while being once again the reason why his team managed to top Detroit in a highly contested game.
Cook sliced through Lions’ defensive line, making big plays one after another. The biggest came in the fourth quarter, when the 25-year-old Pro Bowler took a handoff on Vikings’ 30 yards, broke a tackle, and then carried the ball to the end zone.
Besides setting a career-high for rushing yards in a single game, Dalvin Cook also became just the third Vikings’ player to break the 200 yards mark rushing and only the second to have 200+ yards from scrimmage in back-to-back games.
“We’re just trying to play catch-up, and I’m just trying to give my team a fighting chance,” said Cook, who is leading the NFL with 858 rushing yards after the game.
With Cook playing like this, there is no doubt that Vikings indeed have a fighting chance in what seemed like a lost season. Currently on a two-game winning streak, Minnesota improved to a 3-5 record.
