What six-quarter slump? Dalvin Cook, Kirk Cousins just want improvement, more Vikings wins

The Vikings are one of three teams tied for the NFC's final playoff spot with three games to go. They have the toughest remaining schedule of those three teams (their final opponents have a winning percentage of .595; the Eagles' opponents are at .476 and the Saints' at .428). And heading into those games, their offense has hit a six-quarter slump, producing only three drives of more than 50 yards.

But they've won two straight, hanging on after building a 29-0 lead against Pittsburgh and getting the better of a depleted Bears team in a 17-9 win on Monday night. To running back Dalvin Cook, then, any concern about their recent offensive performance is trivial.

"I don't know [what happened]. We won. I can tell you that," Cook said. "I feel like at this point, if we win games, yeah, we're going to correct some of the mistakes we make. I don't know if y'all want like, 300-yard numbers, 200-yard numbers. As long as we win, that's all that matters. In this building right now, at this point we're in right now, a win is the only thing that matters to us. The stats don't matter. We can go out and have 20 yards. As long as we go out and win."

To win their next two games — at home against the Rams on Sunday and at Lambeau Field against the Packers the following Sunday night — the Vikings could need their offense to regain the form it had for much of the preceding month, when it scored on 24 of 53 drives while turning the ball over just four times and unleashing a more aggressive passing game that took full advantage of Justin Jefferson's singular talents.

In their past two games, the Vikings have scored on only 10 of 25 drives, with four of those scores coming in the first half of the Steelers game where Cook ran for more yards through two quarters than any back in team history. Since halftime against Pittsburgh, they've punted on nine of their 19 drives, while ending three with touchdowns, three with field goals, three with Kirk Cousins interceptions and one on downs (as Cousins threw out of bounds on the final play of the first half Monday night).

Cousins finished with 87 passing yards Monday, his fewest as a starter, though the quarterback on Wednesday pointed out the Bears' penalties — 27 yards' worth of them to set up Greg Joseph's second-quarter field goal, and another 30 on a third-quarter touchdown drive — that helped dull the Vikings' final statistics.

"Obviously winning is where we're most importantly focused," Cousins said. "So, like you said, it's really positive we won the last two games. I think no matter what the result is, win, loss, statistics can look good, statistics don't look good. I think you're always going back and being really critical, and saying, 'How can I play better? What were the plays that I needed to be better on?' You really don't change based on the outcome or based on a certain production level. You're always trying to learn from it, be critical."

Cousins hit Jefferson only four times in 10 targets, as the Bears spent much of the night devoting two defenders to the receiver with Adam Thielen out because of a high ankle sprain. Chicago has often forced the Vikings to work methodically, keeping two safeties deep to take away big plays, and the Bears leaned on the approach Monday to protect a secondary missing all of its starters because of COVID-19.

The Vikings could see similar things Sunday from the Rams, who have retained elements of the scheme former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley installed before he became Chargers head coach. Coach Mike Zimmer indicated they're preparing for two-time All-Pro Jalen Ramsey to shadow Jefferson; "He'll know he's going to get him, so we've just got to do our best to try to get [Ramsey] off," the coach said.

Thielen, though, sounded hopeful about returning from the high ankle sprain he sustained Dec. 5 against the Lions, adding, "I think we're on a faster track than most with this injury." His return would give Cousins another trusted target if the Rams try to take away Jefferson, and the Vikings could try to punish Los Angeles with Cook if defensive coordinator Raheem Morris opts to keep safeties deep.

"When teams are going to do that and take away your big plays and cloud you, it's one less guy in the box, so we have to be able to take advantage of that and run it down people's throats when they do that," Thielen said.

Whatever they do, they'll likely need to be more productive in two games against Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers. The only thing Cook said the Vikings are concerned about — wins — could depend on it.

"We've got to capitalize on the opportunities," Cook said. "We don't got too many more. We know the type of scenario we're in, and we've got to take advantage. I know these guys know the type of scenario that we're in. The captains and the older guys on this team are going to make sure we know."