Tag: Alexander Mattison

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An Unpopular Opinion About Dalvin Cook

Let’s Reid between the lines…

Against the Packers, Dalvin Cook had what could be the best game of his career. Cook was coming off of a groin injury, and the Vikings were extremely lucky that the injury wasn’t re-aggravated. But, their luck could run out if they don’t start using second-stringer Alexander Mattison more, especially if they get into the playoffs.

Let’s start off by recognizing Dalvin Cook’s talent. The fourth-year running back is nothing short of a prolific player, and he could become the best Vikings running back of all time. Yes, I believe Cook’s ability to contribute in both the run and pass game puts him a step above former Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson. Naturally, the Vikings want to use Cook a lot.

However, Cook is only a threat when he’s at full strength.

For three years, the concern about Cook has been his durability. The concern is warranted, as Dalvin tore an ACL early in his rookie season and has been plagued with injuries ever since. As an insurance policy, Minnesota drafted running back Alexander Mattison last year.

Surprisingly, Mattison has been almost as effective as Cook. Considering their similar build and running style, maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise.

Last season, Mattison ran at a pace of 4.58 yards per attempt compared to Cook who averaged 4.34 YPA. Anything above 4 YPA is excellent in the NFL, so Mattison looked like the steal of the draft. Those numbers proved not to be a fluke, as he continues to gash defenses and is currently averaging 4.44 YPA. The two players perform so similarly that sometimes play-by-play announcers don’t even notice when Mattison subs in for Cook. 

In a way, the Vikings have twin running backs. Yet, they’re putting all the wear and tear on one.

In the Green Bay game, Cook got 30 carries, while Mattison only had three. I understand favoring your highly-paid superstar a bit, but at a 10:1 ratio? That doesn’t add up. The longer the Vikings use Cook disproportionately, the greater the risk of losing him to injury.

When the team renewed Cook’s contract this September, there were talks of limiting his snap count to try to keep him healthy. I thought it was a good idea, but that strategy seems to have gone out the window.

Considering Kirk Cousins’ struggles with the passing game, it makes perfect sense for Minnesota to ride their running backs. The Vikings overused Cook against Green Bay and are lucky he didn’t get hurt. It’s time to start playing Cook less and Mattison more.

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No Need to Fear, Dalvin Cook is Staying Right Here

With the recent news that Dalvin Cook is holding out until he receives a new contract, Vikings fans are in a flurry. Many analysts are acting as though this is a shocking revelation, but this is not at all the case, nor should anyone get too riled up by the reports. Read on to understand why.

It is almost no surprise Cook is not planning to participate in team activities until he sees a new contract. Players at the NFL level have the right to do so, and although the new collective bargaining agreement brings players the possibility of fines or voided contracts, holdouts still are happening. Now, that doesn’t mean fans, coaches, and general managers have to like them, but they are hardly the boldest move a player can make. Want to see bold and controversial? Try not participating in team activities because you don’t like the model of your helmet (cough cough, Antonio Brown). Sheesh.

Not to mention, expecting Cook to play on what’s left of his rookie deal (roughly 2 million this year) is really a stretch of the imagination. Running back is an extremely high risk position where players tend to have shorter careers anyways. Cook is right to be looking for his “big payday” now that he has established himself.

Hearing that Cook’s camp was initially asking for top dollar ($16 million per year) was actually very predictable, assuming the reports were even true. Although he has missed many games over his first three seasons because of injuries, it is obvious that Cook is a very special running back, and he will be on the top of stat sheets for years to come. Expecting Rick Spielman and the Vikings to shell out 16 mil was/is unrealistic, but of course his agent was going to start high. That’s his job.

The latest reports say both sides are being flexible, and Cook’s camp has already lowered their asking price to 13 mil. Although this number is likely still a bit too high for Spielman’s liking, fans need not worry about getting a deal done this week, or even this month. With Coronavirus still prevalent, players literally cannot even show up to the practice field. The team should survive if Cook misses a couple Zoom meetings.

But, what if the two sides can’t reach an agreement by opening kickoff? This scenario is highly unlikely given Cook’s humble nature and the presence of salary cap wizard Rob Brzezinski on the Vikings staff, but let’s tool around with the idea. A prolonged Cook holdout would leave Minnesota with Alexander Mattison, Mike Boone, Ameer Abdullah, and C.J. Ham to tote the ball. Not the worst group of runners you’ve ever seen, eh? If you’re not convinced, these stats/notes should do you in:

  • Mattison boasted 4.6 yards per attempt his rookie year… Cook performed only marginally better at 4.8
  • Boone is absolutely on the rise. After going undrafted in 2018, the Vikings felt so strongly for Cook in 2019 that they turned down a fifth-round draft pick from the Eagles. He tallied almost 300 yards rushing in 2019 as the third-string back.
  • Abdullah may not light up the stat sheet, but he is a do-it-all running back still in his prime at 26 years old.
  • Ham is a silent gamechanger who can be loud when needed. Another player on the upswing, Ham earned his first Pro Bowl invitation last year, and he without a doubt was a significant factor in Cook’s big year. The stout, burly blocker can also catch passes… just check out his 36 yard catch and run against the Seahawks last season! – (https://www.vikings.com/video/ham-rumbles-for-36-yard-gain-on-pass-from-cousins)
  • Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has a track record of turning average running backs into dependable playmakers in his system

Again, don’t be fearful… as Voice of the Vikings Paul Allen would say, be FAITHFUL. With Spielman’s leadership, Zimmer’s interest in the running back position, and Brzezinski being in Minnesota, Cook is all but guaranteed to wear purple for years to come. Mark my words, the Vikings will find a way to conjure up some cash for their lead back.

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Mike Boone Ready to Reveal Himself

The Minnesota Vikings are proud to own one of the best running back duos in the NFL. Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison normally create the two-headed dragon that is the Vikings ground attack, but Minnesota will be short-handed on Sunday. With Mattison already ruled out due to an ankle injury, fans may finally see what backup Mike Boone is capable of.

https://twitter.com/_stevefrederick/status/1163261722087567365?lang=en

For those who are unfamiliar with Boone, he is a second year running back out of Cincinnati, and he was picked up by the Vikings after going undrafted in 2018. Boone hasn’t seen much action to date, but he piled up over 2,200 yards on the ground in his college days, and almost 600 in the air. With the one-dimensional Adrian Peterson days over, this is the kind of back that Minnesota coaches love.

College production aside, Boone has another big thing going for him. Actually, it’s a little thing, as he is a rather small running back. Boone is almost identical in stature to Dalvin Cook, as they are the exact same height (5’10”), and Cook is only five pounds heavier at 209. Being a small running back used to be a disadvantage in the NFL, but they are now well respected thanks to their quick lateral moves and difficulty to tackle. Vikings fans have seen first hand how effective a smaller back like Cook is, and there’s no reason Boone can’t do some of the same things.

In two years combined, Boone only has 19 carries as a Minnesota Viking. With this extremely small sample size, it’s quite difficult to make judgements about the raw runner. That said, in the few reps I’ve seen him take, he has a noticeably good burst, especially when running up the middle. It seems like his small frame allows him to squirm through small holes in the line, and he is able to pick up speed quite quickly. Everyone hates that it comes at the expense of Alexander Mattison, but fans should be very excited to finally see Boone in action.

With Mattison out, some fans are assuming (and hoping) the Vikings will simply feed Dalvin Cook more. To me, this is the wrong approach. With the Vikings currently in a position to make the playoffs (knock on wood), the coaching staff is going to want Dalvin Cook at full strength for when the going gets tough. Putting extra wear and tear on his body against a mid-tier team like the Chargers is counterproductive, and once again, this is the perfect opportunity to see what a guy like Boone can do. If Boone can “reveal himself” and make his presence known early in the game, he may become part of the regular rotation even when Mattison returns.

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Vikings vs. Bears – Less Obvious Keys to Victory

After successfully shellacking the Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings have a crucial game coming up fast. As Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen would say, it’s a division collision with the Chicago Bears. A road win would be quite the statement from the purple and gold, so let’s look at some less talked about keys to victory.

Two New (Old) Players = Advantage Vikings

Soldier Field is a brutal place to play, but the Vikings will enter the game with reinforcements. For those of you who don’t know, GM Rick Spielman decided to get the gang back together. Yes, he brought back wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and punt returner Marcus Sherels in the same day. These signings may seem like nothing more than nostalgia, but they could be just enough to give the Vikings an edge against the Bears. More on that below:

Successful ‘Quon

Laquon Treadwell gets a bad rap for dropping passes. I couldn’t agree more, but let’s not forget his other talents. Treadwell is one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL. The Vikings have clearly moved away from an aerial attack, and they need as many blockers as they can get. With gritty tight end David Morgan still out, Treadwell can fill in as a blocker and create opportunities for Dalvin Cook.

The Uncuttable

After a brief stint with the New Orleans Saints, Marcus Sherels is back in Minnesota. The Vikings lost several players in their first few games, and they came calling for his services earlier this week. As most fans know, Sherels is an elusive punt returner and decent emergency cornerback. Some of his best games have come against the Bears, so let’s hope he mauls ‘em again on Sunday. Divisional matchups tend to be close, so scoring off a punt return would put the Vikings in a great position to win.

Lastly, Cook’s Compliment

You’d have to be blind to not notice Dalvin Cook these past three weeks. He’s been healthy (knock on wood) and leads the league in rushing yards. That said, fans might not be noticing the second man on the depth chart, rookie Alexander Mattison. When called upon, the third-round pick has churned out yards and made defenders miss. Cook can’t be the only one taking pressure off of Cousins, so I expect the Vikings to use Mattison as another weapon on third downs.

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A Bad Marriage for the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings seemed poised to win the NFC North last season, but a botched arranged marriage between John DeFilippo and Mike Zimmer quickly sent the team’s hopes south. With Gary Kubiak now at Zimmer’s side, the Vikings are poised to take back the north.

I was optimistic about the signing of “Flip” last year, but it ended up being a blind date gone wrong. John came to Minnesota with a short resume, and Rick Spielman’s gamble on the young offensive coordinator ended up costing the Vikings their spot atop the division. Gary Kubiak is more of an old-school coach and a much better match for Zimmer and the Vikings offense. He’s only listed as the “Offensive Advisor,” but I expect the veteran will be wearing the pants in this year’s offense.

You can already start to see Kubiak’s influence on the offense. Gary has an affinity for tight ends, and Minnesota opted to re-sign Kyle Rudoph after months of deliberation. I expect Kubiak to get a great season out of Rudy, even on the backside of his career. He also loves the ground game, so the Vikings spent a high draft pick on running back Alexander Mattison. Running the ball was a huge point of contention between Zimmer and DeFilippo last year. DeFilippo preferred a passing attack, while Zimmer wanted to control the tempo with the run. Obviously, Flip’s strategy didn’t work, and he’s still salty about his time in the north. The new Jaguars coordinator recently spoke to Jacksonville reporters about working for the Vikings:

“I’m not going to make a lot of comments about that, about some of the things that happened up there… Every play I’ve called in my tenure as an offensive coordinator has been what I think gives our team the best chance for success.”

Some analysts argue that the NFL is past the days of having a single “bell cow” running back. I agree that the Adrian Peterson era is gone, but juggernauts like the Patriots rode their running backs right into the playoffs last year. New England has one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady, but they took pressure off of him by using an efficient committee of backs. You can expect Kubiak to replicate that this year with rookie Alexander Mattison and Dalvin Cook.

Any team looking to make a run at the Super Bowl needs to take care of business in their division. There will never be an easy path to the playoffs, but the Vikings now have the power couple capable of winning the NFC North.

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