The Minnesota Vikings are coming off of a blowout Week 3 victory over the Oakland Raiders in which their offense hit 30 points for the first time this season.
The Vikings improved to 2-1 with the win, and now, they will head on the road for an NFC North division showdown with the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.
All of that being said, while Minnesota does have a fine record, there are some concerns about the team moving forward.
So, here are three burning questions for the Vikings entering Week 4.
3. Is Irv Smith Jr. Going to Become the No. 1 Tight End?
Irv Smith Jr. had a very impressive performance this past weekend, catching three passes for 60 yards.
The Vikings drafted him in the second round for a reason. They think very highly of the kid, so much so that they almost traded mainstay Kyle Rudolph during the offseason.
But Smith's production and Rudolph's lack of it (just four catches for 20 yards on the season) begs the question: are we seeing a shift in whom Minnesota values as its top tight end?
Rudolph has been with the club since 2011 and, when healthy, has consistently been one of their top options on offense, but with the emergence of Smith, Rudolph's role may be reduced, and Smith's may increase.
It will be interesting to see how the Vikings utilize both guys on Sunday.
2. Can Dalvin Cook Gash the Bears, Too?
Dalvin Cook has been an absolute monster over the first three weeks, racking up 375 yards and four touchdowns off of three 100-yard outings. He is averaging an insane 6.6 yards per carry, and he has also caught nine passes for 79 yards.
But can Cook continue his success against the rugged Bears defense?
Cook's best performance of the season thus far came against the best defense the Vikings have played up until this point, as he punctured the Green Bay Packers for 154 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.
But as good as the Packers' defense has been, it is not as good as Chicago's.
How well Cook plays may very well be the X-factor in this game. If he is unable to get anything going, the Vikings may run into some trouble early on and might not be able to recover.
1. When Will Kirk Cousins Snap Out of It?
Kirk Cousins had what was probably his best game of the season against the Raiders, but that's not really saying much, as he completed 15 of his 21 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown.
Not exactly a bona fide stat line, but the fact that he didn't turn the ball over is significant.
On the season overall, Cousins has thrown for just 502 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 58.7 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 86.9.
The Vikings have been able to get by thanks to the brilliance of Cook in the backfield, but what is Minnesota going to do if and when Cook has an off day?
And given how good the Bears' defense is, that off day may very well come this week.
As much as Cousins was maligned for his 2018 campaign, he was at least solid, and the Vikings would, ironically enough, do anything for him to perform that well this season at this point.
Follow Us
Subscribe