The New Orleans Saints will welcome the Minnesota Vikings to town on Sunday in the NFC Wild Card Round. Of all of the players on the offense, Jared Cook is the biggest X-Factor for the Saints against the Vikings.
When the Saints signed Cook in the offseason, the expectation was that he would seamlessly fit into Sean Payton's offense. Contrary to belief, it took some time for the veteran tight end to get acclimated to New Orleans' offense.
In his first six games with the team, Cook had just 15 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns. But over his last eight contests, Cook hauled in 28 passes for 537 yards and seven touchdowns for the Saints.
Of course, when facing the Saints, Michael Thomas is the guy that is the engine to New Orleans' aerial attack. Besides Thomas, the Saints tend to find ways to get Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray involved in the offense.
But at the wide receiver position, the Saints are lacking a reliable No. 2 option alongside Thomas. Therefore, Cook is basically the de facto No. 2 wide receiver in the offense at the tight end position. Without a doubt, he will be needed on Sunday versus the Vikings.
While he's listed as a tight end, Cook is moved around the field in Payton's offensive schemes. The majority of the time, Cook is going to be lined up as a slot receiver on passing plays.
Heading into Sunday, Cook will square off against one of the worst pass defenses that Minnesota has had under Mike Zimmer. The Vikings finished the regular season with the 15th ranked pass defense that allowed 233.6 yards per game.
There's a chance that the veteran tight end will draw Harrison Smith on him for parts of the game. But when the All-Pro safety isn't lined up across from him, Cook has to take advantage of his matchup.
Even at 32-years-old, Cook has shown he can still outrun most linebackers and is too big for cornerbacks. The only problem for Cook in his career has been his inconsistency in catching the football.
However, when you have Drew Brees as your quarterback, you'll rarely be given an inaccurate pass. It will also be important for Cook to continue being a viable option in the red zone for the Saints.
Over the course of the season, New Orleans had the 11th ranked red-zone offense; scoring a touchdown on 59.65 percent of their red-zone trips in 2019. Having someone who can create mismatches for a defense is invaluable in the playoffs.
For the Saints to take care of business against the Vikings, Cook will need to be productive in the offense. That shouldn't be tough to do in an offense that isn't afraid to put the ball in the air with Brees at the helm.
Follow Us
Subscribe