Vikings Dominate Lions With League's Best RB in Dalvin Cook

Today the Vikings dominated the Lions on two fronts. Dalvin Cook ran all over their defense and Cousins picked them apart.

Detroit Lions 20 Minnesota Vikings 34
Minnesota: 
QB:
K. Cousins 13/20 220 yds 11.0 avg 3 TD 141.7 rtg
RB:
D. Cook 22 car 206 yds (career high) 9.4 avg 2 TD 70 long (46 yds rec)
A. Mattison 12 car 69 yds 5.8 avg 18 long
WR:
J. Jefferson 3 rec 64 yds 21.3 avg 
K. Rudolph 3 rec 40 yds 13.3 avg
A. Thielen 2 rec 38 yds 19.0 avg
A. Abdullah 1 rec 22 yds 22.0 avg 1 TD
I. Smith Jr 2 rec 10 yds 5.0 avg 2 TD
K:
D. Bailey 4/5 XP
DEF:
E. Wilson 1 INT
H. Smith 1 INT 0.5 sack
E. Kendricks 1 INT
A. Watts 0.5 sack
S. Stephen 0.5 sack
H. Mata'afa 0.5 sack

Game Summary:
Today this Vikings offense came to play! They picked up right where they left off in the first half today as they scored a touchdown in 3 out of their first 4 drives. Also, Dalvin Cook had quite the day. He had his first touchdown in the first half. Then Cousins had 2 of his touchdown passes on the day; first with a 9 yard connection to TE Irv Smith Jr and then his second a 22 yard revenge scamper to RB Ameer Abdullah!
The Vikings as always need to scare all of us at some point in each game, so in the second half they did just that. It was looking like they might allow Detroit back into the game when they allowed a score late in the fourth quarter after they blocked a Vikings punt. This came not long after one of the longest scores of Dalvin Cook's career when he sprinted to the endzone for 70 yards. He also posted a career high in rushing yards today as well!
Fortunately the Vikings defense was up to the task and stopped Detroit in its tracks on the last drive and time expired.
Something that this team needs to look at this week is what happened to the special teams unit? This unit missed an extra point and had 2 punts blocked. Something needs to change here, these plays are the go-ahead plays.
This matchup generated a lot of buzz around the Vikings front office, because it provided the homecoming for former Vikings DE Everson Griffen. Griffen expressed lots of frustration this week about a comment that Vikings HC Mike Zimmer made about Griffen's time in Minnesota. He said that he was a good player, Griffen wanted him to say great. Safe to say it was very petty and didn't amount to much at the end of the day. It also provided a third homecoming for former Vikings legend RB Adrian Peterson. On the day Peterson ran for 8 carries for 29 yards and no touchdowns. DE Everson Griffen also only notched one tackle on the day and one QB pressure.
Another less known revenge story is Vikings RB Ameer Abdullah scoring today against his former team. Abdullah was originally drafted by Detroit back in 2015. The Vikings claimed him off waivers after Detroit put him there back in 2018.

Injury Report:
The only notable injury addition this week was CB Cameron Dantzler who was carted off last week in Green Bay in a scary collision. He was out this week because of a concussion.

Standings Update
Since the Vikings leapfrogged Detroit in the standings this week I thought it was time for a standings update. Minnesota is on a two-win streak after upsetting the Packers in Green Bay and dominating the Lions at home. This lifted them to 3rd in the NFC North since they now hold the tiebreaker over the Lions. They remain a game and a half back from Chicago for second. If they can pull off a win against those Bears next week, they would be only a half-game back from them and would hold the tiebreaker. The Packers remain in first this week after a big win in San Francisco.
The Vikings have a huge opportunity between now and December 13. Chicago is last team that the Vikings will face until they travel to Tampa Bay in Week 14, if they can win between 3-5 games until then they might have a shot at the playoffs. If they win all 5 games, they come out of the easiest stretch at 8-5. That would make this season somewhat of a success where the worst case is 8-8. After Week 13, the Vikings will face 3 playoff contenders in a row where they will play in Tampa Bay, at home against the Bears, and travelling to New Orleans on Christmas Day.

Up Next
Next week these young Vikings face a test in Nick Foles' Chicago Bears. They play in Chicago on Monday Night Football next Monday, November 16. Kickoff is at 7:15 PM CT.

#SKOL