Dalvin Cook’s Absence Was Significant in Rams Loss
K. Joudry
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How much of a difference would Dalvin Cook have made if he played against the Rams? That’s the question many have been asking themselves.
At this point, it’s impossible to say. The game was played; the Vikings were totally flat (in the most predictable way). The end result is an upward battle to sneak into a playoffs that is expanded to a seventh team. It’s relatively straightforward, as Will Ragatz explains:
One wonders, though, if we would even be in this scenario had the RB1 been out there. Dalvin Cook may have been able to swing things in favor of the Vikings. Frankly, I still think Minnesota would have lost; who could really be confident in this team? It’s clear that the team values Cook, and they evidently see him as central to their offensive identity. If they didn’t, they’d have avoided handing him that large extension. The team, in other words, wants him out there for crucial games.
Take a look at one of the TFLs Aaron Donald was able to get:
That wasn’t the only one. According to Pro Football Reference, the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate had 3 TFLs. Would Cook have been explosive and/or elusive enough to nullify Donald in these moments? Maybe not, but one does wonder, especially since the run game was so uninspiring.
Alexander Mattison finished the day with 13 carries for 41 yards, a 3.15 yard average. Kene Nwangwu – a remarkably explosive player who is still learning how to play RB in the NFL – finished the day with 5 carries for 8 yards, a 1.6 yard average. It’s this inability to run the ball successfully that made 3rd downs so challenging. Kirk Cousins will struggle when he consistently faces third and long against a team with dominant pass rushers. Who wouldn’t? All things considered, Cousins had a fine day.
The Vikings finished the day having gone 2/12 on third down.
The 30-23 score obfuscates the reality that the Vikings weren’t super competitive in this one. Even still, it would be reasonable to conclude that they weren’t blown out. Having a dynamic, explosive RB who can take any carry the length of the field would have helped.
Alas, Covid-19 is again running amok. The NFL isn’t immune to this reality, so teams are left to adjust. Unfortunately, the Vikings weren’t able to overcome the challenge that this presents on Sunday.
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