The Minnesota Vikings defeated the lowly New York Giants in Week 5. Such a matchup is exactly what the NFC North franchise needed amid continued controversy. With the rumor mill churning at a rapid speeds in Minnesota these days, the Vikings have quickly become one of the more intriguing teams from around the league — for both the good and the bad so it seems.
At 3-2 on the season while playing in arguably the toughest division in the entire NFL at the moment, the Vikings will need to pull it together quickly if Minnesota has any shot at reaching the postseason in 2019.
Can Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins effectively lead the Minnesota offense?
The Minnesota Vikings infamously signed former Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million contract ahead of last season. Despite an impressive individual effort from Cousins throughout the 2018-19 regular season, the Vikings notably missed out on the postseason despite coming up just shy of a Super Bowl appearance the year before with a very similar roster and journeyman quarterback Case Keenum under center.
If the Vikings are going to reach the postseason in 2019-20, Cousins not only has to be at his best, but the former Redskins signal caller will be forced to lead a well-rounded attack on the offensive side of the football.
Will Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs last the entire season in Minnesota?
Causing the majority of the controversy stemming from Minnesota this week, veteran Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs may not last the season with the NFC North franchise. With the NFL trade deadline looming, it has appeared as though Diggs would like out of Minnesota as the team's offense continues to struggle — when the Vikings aren't playing the aforementioned New York Giants, that is.
Although Diggs continues to say that he wants to remain with the Vikings, most recently during his postgame press conference at his locker following the lopsided win over the Giants, the prolific pass catcher is still playing second fiddle to fellow Minnesota wide out Adam Thielen, who exploded statistically on Sunday afternoon after doing a little complaining himself throughout the week prior. As a result, it remains to be seen as to whether this story has a happy ending for both Diggs and the Vikings.
Is Vikings running back Dalvin Cook the most important piece of the puzzle in Minnesota?
A simple question should receive a simple answer, and in this case, that simple answer is yes. Now healthy and as dominant as ever since joining the NFL ranks a few seasons ago, former Florida State standout and Minnesota Vikings starting running back Dalvin Cook is the most important piece of the puzzle for this franchise.
Even with Cousins leading the way in terms of the passing attack, it is hard to effectively throw the football if a team cannot run it. With Cook healthy and performing at a high level on a weekly basis, his ability to run the ball as a workhorse back can surely lead the Vikings in the right direction. It is also worth noting that an effective run game will slow things down on offense, which typically leads to heightened defensive metrics as well.
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