![]() Adrian Peterson (2012): 136 carries, 632 yards, 3 TD, 787 yards from scrimmage.Dalvin Cook: 144 carries, 858 yards, 12 TD, 1,031 yards from scrimmage.Here are Cook's numbers against the last two MVP running backs - LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson - through seven games. Simpson's record of 1,025 in 1973, which came during his 2,000-yard season (in just 14 games).ĭoes Cook have a legitimate argument for MVP? We can look at the last two running backs to win the award as a potential benchmark for the Vikings star's performance to see if he has the elite resume to enter the conversation. His 858 rushing yards would be tied for 13th in league history with Walter Payton but far behind O.J. Since Cook played just seven out of a possible eight games, here's where he would stand on most rushing yards through a player's first seven games (since 1950). Playing just seven games makes Cook's numbers when on the field even more impressive. Of the 32 players in league history that have 10 rushing touchdowns through their team's first eight games, only Cook and John Riggins have played fewer than eight games (both played seven). That rushing yardage is a team record through two consecutive games, beating Adrian Peterson's mark of 366 yards (which he did in 20).Ĭook's 12 rushing touchdowns through his team's first eight games of the season are tied for the eighth-most in league history since 1950 (Jim Brown has the record with 16). Over the last two games, Cook has rushed for 369 yards and totaled six touchdowns. The Vikings star running back is on pace to have the best season for a player at his position in over half a decade.Ĭook also leads the NFL in rushing first downs (48), and his 25 rushes of 10-plus yards also rank first in the league. Cook deserves to be in the mix thanks to his incredible start, leading the NFL in five rushing categories despite only playing seven games. Russell Wilson was the early-season favorite for MVP, with Patrick Mahomes significantly closing the gap in recent weeks. The NFL running back hierarchy began with Derrick Henry at the beginning of the season, but Cook is slowly beginning to capture the throne, running his way into the MVP conversation with one of the best starts for a running back in years. 2 back - thanks to the brilliance of Cook. The Vikings don't have to rely on a two-back system - even though Alexander Mattison is an excellent No. Cook's brilliance on the ground is a refresher to football before the passing revolution, even though the Minnesota Vikings star running back is much more than the typical old-school bruiser.Ĭook can do it all at running back, starting with his ability to read the gaps and find the second level quickly, but he's also an excellent pass-catching back out of the backfield. ![]() Watching Dalvin Cook run for long touchdowns and wear out defenses every week is a refreshing sight, considering the NFL has become a passing league over the last decade, with passing records seemingly broken every year. ![]()
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