I've decided, after enough idle time trying to come to terms with what we saw almost 100 hours ago in the Vikings' 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo, that it all started with Dalvin Cook.

This is where the chain of unlikely events truly began: 1:34 left in the third quarter, and Cook awakens a slumbering Vikings offense with a one-play, 81-yard TD drive of his own on a burst down the left sideline.

Without it, none of the rest of the game happens: ESPN analytics gave the Bills a 96.8% chance of winning just moments before it, after the Bills had kicked a field goal to go ahead 27-10. The Vikings were going nowhere until that point. After that point?

The chain continues: Stefon Diggs' one-handed catch on third-and-15 from Buffalo's 21, the last play of the third quarter, tilts momentum back in Buffalo's favor.

Without that play: There is not the first Patrick Peterson interception of Josh Allen, with Buffalo trying to again put the game away near the Vikings' goal line.

Because of that: The Vikings got the ball back and grinded out an underrated first down when K.J. Osborn took an end around for two very tough yards on 4th-and-1.

If Osborn hadn't converted: We wouldn't have seen an even better fourth down conversion, with tight end T.J. Hockenson getting 12 yards on a 4th-and-6 pass from Kirk Cousins. That play was essential in the Vikings' TD drive to get within one score.

But: Kicker Greg Joseph missed the extra point.

Without those two improbable Vikings touchdowns: Justin Jefferson's miraculous one-handed catch on 4th-and-18 never happens. Buffalo is probably just grinding out the clock with 2 minutes left.

Instead: Jefferson gets the Vikings down to the 1 with yet another tough catch, one initially ruled a touchdown, on fourth down.

If the previous extra point had been made: The Vikings would have been down 3 instead of 4. Might they have been playing for the field goal instead of pressing so hard for the touchdown?

If they would have kicked a field goal: There is no Cousins stopped on a sneak from two inches. There is no Allen fumble in the end zone recovered for a touchdown.

Maybe at that point the game still goes to overtime and there's drama there: But the overtime is entirely different than the one we saw that had more greatness from Jefferson and Peterson.

So thank you, Dalvin Cook.