Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook has shined in limited action this season.
He has 444 rushing yards in only five games and is still under 100 carries on the year.
That carry total is something Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak wants to address.
He had some direct comments about getting his running back more involved.
“Got to give [Cook] more opportunities moving forward,’’ Kubiak said, as shared by Pro Football Talk.
It is one thing to say this and another to start doing it this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
Do the Vikings know they can hand the ball off to Dalvin Cook two times in a row?
— Adi Narang (@ReallyAdi) November 1, 2021
Getting His Star More Involved
The Vikings are 3-4 and clinging to playoff hopes in the NFC.
They are also fresh off a loss against Cooper Rush and the Dallas Cowboys in a game that should have been won.
Cook ran the ball 18 times for 78 yards in the loss, and perhaps the Vikings offense could have put more than 16 points on the board if the star runner got more touches.
It just seems inexcusable to not give him more opportunities on a day when Kirk Cousins only finished with 184 yards on 35 attempts.
#Vikings RB Dalvin Cook had no catches tonight
That's inexcusable when you consider how much the offense struggled
A few screen passes could've done wonders
— Adam Patrick (@Str8_Cash_Homey) November 1, 2021
Cook’s best game of the season came against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.
He received 29 carries for 140 yards and a touchdown.
He also went over 100 yards in the only other game in which he got more than 20 carries, which was back in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The recipe for success is in place for the Vikings.
They need to make Cook the focal point on offense now that he is healthy and not have Cousins throw the ball 35-40 times if the offense isn’t even getting into the end zone.
Kubiak is the one who can make the changes.
Now he has to live up to his word and follow through or the Vikings may be headed for a lost season before we even reach Thanksgiving.
NEXT: Kirk Cousins Has A Stat That May Surprise You So Far In 2021
