The Vikings ran 62 offensive plays. Dalvin Cook was the focal point 27 times.
That's 43.5%. And that wasn't enough of a commitment to the team's best offensive player.
Not on Sunday. The Vikings blew a 12-point lead around a critical three-and-out in which Cook never left the sideline as Tennessee turned a 24-12 deficit into a 25-24 lead en route to a 31-30 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Why?
"We have our substitutions and rotations with those guys," said coach Mike Zimmer, referring to Cook and backup Alexander Mattison. "We've been doing it like that all year."
All year is now an 0-3 start.
Cook had a great game after his third carry resulted in a fumble that handed Tennessee a 31-yard field goal and a 6-0 lead. He had 199 yards from scrimmage, including a career-high 181 yards rushing on 22 carries (8.2). He had two runs of 39 yards — one of them a touchdown — and runs of 12 and 13 yards.
He's also a big reason rookie Justin Jefferson had a breakout game with seven catches for 175 yards and a touchdown.