Let’s Reid between the lines…
The Vikings game plan worked wonders last week against Green Bay. Because of Kirk Cousins’ recent struggles, most of the game went through Dalvin Cook. Detroit will be expecting a heavy dose of the run game, so Minnesota should stick to their known winning formula but add some twists.
Dalvin Cook is an elite player, but he’s not the only talented running back the Vikings have. Hopefully Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak recognizes this and makes better use of Minnesota’s other backs. Alexander Mattison has been used a bit this season, but I’d like to see more use of him, plus some carries for Mike Boone.
It’s no secret to Detroit that the Vikings will ride the run game, so a key will be HOW Minnesota runs the ball. Sometimes the Vikings get a little vanilla in their rushing attack, namely, they use too much inside zone and give up if it’s not working. The Lions will likely load the box and try to plug up the middle. I’d like to see Minnesota use some outside zone, pitches, and counters to give Cook and Mattison more room to run.
If the ground game doesn’t work, Cousins will have to throw the ball. That doesn’t mean he should be slinging it deep downfield, as he’s struggling with picks this year. It sounds boring, but he should stick with short screen passes and “dink and dunks” right over the middle. Once Cook or Mattison gets the ball in space, they’ve proven capable of turning a boring pass into a highlight-reel play.
The Detroit Lions are probably Minnesota’s weakest opponent in the division. This is the perfect opportunity for the Vikings to ride the run, tally another win, and continue the march to the postseason.
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