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The Minnesota Vikings have endured a tumultuous start to the 2019 NFL season. It appeared the situation in Minnesota had seemingly reached a boiling point with the recent fallout between quarterback Kirk Cousins and his two wide receivers.
Although things are looking grim for the Vikings, they will have an opportunity to bounce back on the road against the New York Giants. this favorable matchup could very well be their last chance to get back on the right track before the season derails.
Here are four bold predictions for Minnesota in Week 5.
1. Cousins Will Find Thielen Early And Often
One of the biggest headlines coming into the week was wide receiver Adam Thielen's complaints about the state of the offense following a disappointing loss to the Chicago Bears. It is no secret that the bulk of his complaints were directed at Cousins' lackluster play under center.
Those in Minnesota have since done what they can to downplay the recent comments. Regardless, actions speak louder than words and Cousins will need to do what he can to make amends by showing Thielen his talents are not being wasted on the outside.
The Giants have been extremely generous against the pass this season allowing the eighth-most passing yards per game (279.5). The favorable matchup in the secondary should result in a big day for Thielen.
2. Dalvin Cook Will Have Two Touchdowns On Over 100 Yards Rushing
Cook has been one of the few bright spots on the offense so far this season. Although he ran into a bit of a brick wall in the Bears' defense last week, he is still just one yard behind Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey as the league's leading rusher heading into Week 5.
The offense is still struggling to find their footing while relying on Cook to do most of their bidding. As a result, teams are likely going to start making adjustments to their one-dimensional approach.
Try as they may, New York's defense simply is not equipped to deal with Minnesota's run game. Their linebacker corps has been rocked with injuries as of late and appear to be thin once again this time around leaving the door open for a big day from Cook.
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3. Daniel Jones Will Come Crashing Back Down To Earth
The emergence of quarterback Daniel Jones has helped lead quite the turnaround for the Giants since taking over in Week 3. His ability to make plays with both his arm and legs has brought a new dynamic to this offense.
He endured his fair share of struggles against the Washington Redskins in Week 4 by throwing two interceptions. Regardless, he was still able to make more than enough plays to secure the win.
As much as the Vikings have struggled on offense, their defense still remains as one of the most formidable groups in the league. Jones should have a difficult time getting anything going against a group that is allowing just 15.8 points per game.
4. Vikings Win By More Than Two Scores
Given the current narrative, Minnesota appears to be on the cusp of imploding. However, much of the noise surrounding their slow start to the year has been facilitated by their high expectations coming into the season.
Even with Cousins' underwhelming play, the Vikings still boast one of the more talented rosters across the board. The competitive nature of the NFC North this year has every team essentially one win from moving into first place.
While the Giants have managed to show some promise in recent weeks, there is no question they are still in the midst of a rebuild. The Vikings know full well they must make a statement to prove they are still contenders and there is no better time to do it than coming off the most tumultuous week of the season.
