For the fourth time in five games on Sunday, the Vikings will be without Dalvin Cook, the second-year running back they'd planned to feature as both a runner and receiver in their offense this season. Cook could return to a headlining role once he's recovered from his hamstring injury, but he's played only 18 snaps since he was injured in Week 2, and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jets a week after a rocky pregame workout forced the Vikings to scratch him.
Cook was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, before missing Thursday and Friday's practice sessions. As the running back has struggled to get back on the field, offensive coordinator John DeFilippo has been forced to remain cautious with how much he plans for the running back in his game plan.
"I'll be honest with you, it's not easy," he said. "{In game-planning sessions on] Tuesdays, you have to be really careful about the volume of plays that you're putting in for one person. It's not just Dalvin, it could be anybody that's in that situation. You get too caught up in the piece, well then he's up, you got to get the ball to him in practice – there's a whole laundry list of things that go in to what you just brought up. You make it work, and there's ways in your offense to get certain guys to the football that you just carry every week. You just roll with those, but at the same time I feel bad for Dalvin because he wants to be out there. But at the same time, you don't want to put any player in harm's way."
Without Cook last Sunday, the Vikings gave 24 carries to Latavius Murray, who punished the Cardinals' 31st-ranked run defense for 155 yards and posted the best day by a Vikings running back since Adrian Peterson left town. Murray will get the call again on Sunday, as DeFilippo plans the running game with the veteran taking the lead.
"You adjust. We're very fortunate on this team that we have other guys that can make plays. I've been on teams before where you have one of your legit guys go down, and all of a sudden it's tough sledding," he said. "We're fortunate that we have enough guys at other spots, at the tight end position, the running back position and at the receiver position obviously that can make plays for us."
Here are some other Vikings notes and observations as the team prepares to face the Jets on Sunday:
2. With Danielle Hunter's ability to chase down running backs and Anthony Barr and Trae Waynes making open-field tackles, the Vikings have proved to be a difficult opponent for teams looking to establish an outside run game. According to NFL Game Statistics and Information Systems, the Vikings have the league's sixth-best run defense on plays run toward both the left and right ends. Their ability to make open-field tackles and force the ball back inside could be tested on Sunday, against a Jets run game that has thrived on outside runs. "They do an excellent job on bounce-out plays, making corners have to make tackles and crack replace," defensive coordinator George Edwards said. "Their receivers do a good job of blocking. We've got our work cut out for us to limit their running game."
3. The loss of Mike Hughes for the season means the Vikings will likely have more work for Holton Hill, the rookie corner who received more guaranteed money ($75,000) than any undrafted free agent in the Mike Zimmer era after he slipped out of the draft. Hill moves up the Vikings' cornerback depth chart with Hughes out, and he could wind up as the team's new kick returner, as well. "He will have to play more gunner. He will be playing on kickoff and kickoff return, maybe as the returner this week," special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said. "Punt returner, he is still a work in progress. I don't know how comfortable I am putting him back there as the returner yet. But he is working hard at it."
