3 Vikings make Pro Bowl, including Dalvin Cook

A few players who probably should have gotten a look for the Pro Bowl include Kirk Cousins, Eric Kendricks and Anthony Harris. 

The Vikings had three players named to the Pro Bowl for the 2019 season.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter, safety Harrison Smith and running back Dalvin Cook will represent the Vikings.

For Hunter, this is his second-straight selection. He has 13.5 sacks on the season and just one away from his career-high mark of 14.5 that he hit last season. Earlier this season, he became the youngest player in NFL history to reach the 50-sack mark.

For Smith, this is his fifth-straight appearance on the list. He has 11 passes defended and a career-high two forced fumbles this season.

And for Cook, this is his first selection. Cook has been on a cold streak lately, going seven weeks without a 100-yard game. But his overall numbers are solid, rushing for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns to go with 53 catches for 519 yards.

A few players who probably should have gotten a look for the Pro Bowl include Kirk Cousins, Eric Kendricks and Anthony Harris.

We’ll have more about them in another piece.

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

 

 

NFL Week 16 Power Rankings: NFC East is center of attention

The NFC East doesn’t have a team with a winning record, but it’s the most compelling division in Touchdown Wire’s weekly Power Rankings.

The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL. It also is the most entertaining.

Even though no team in the division currently has a winning record, the playoff scenario got more intriguing in Week 15. Plus, there’s all sorts of speculation about which head coaches might be fired, and a New York icon may have played his last game for the Giants.

The Cowboys finally played the way a team with that much talent is supposed to play, improving to 7-7 with a 44-21 shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles also climbed to 7-7 after a 37-27 win over the Redskins. Dallas plays at Philadelphia in Week 16, and the Cowboys can clinch the division title with a victory.

Even though the Cowboys are in the playoff race, coach Jason Garrett’s job doesn’t appear safe. Rumors are swirling that owner Jerry Jones is considering Urban Meyer as a replacement for Garrett.

Things got even more interesting when Meyer showed up at the Redskins game on Sunday. Can you imagine a bidding war for Meyer between Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder?

New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur also could be on the hot seat, even though he got a win against Miami. But Shurmur wasn’t the Giants’ most interesting story of Sunday. Instead, that was Eli Manning. The veteran quarterback played what might have been his final game for the Giants, while filling in for injured rookie Daniel Jones.

Here’s where the NFC East teams — and the rest of the league — stand in Touchdown Wire’s Week 16 Power Rankings.

32. Cincinnati Bengals

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

(1-13. Last week: 32)

A 34-14 loss to New England was expected, but the Bengals actually kept the game close until the third quarter. But in the end, they lost to one of the league’s best teams. More importantly, the Bengals remained on pace to earn the top pick in next year’s draft. That means it appears as if newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will wear a Cincinnati uniform next season. After briefly benching veteran starter Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley, the Bengals have been sticking with Dalton. That’s somewhat inexplicable, because Dalton threw four interceptions Sunday. Dalton has no future with the Bengals. But he’s doing his part to make sure Cincinnati gets Burrow.

31. Washington Redskins

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 30)

The Redskins lost to Philadelphia, 37-27.  The game meant nothing to the Redskins aside from impacting their draft position. The real story here is that Urban Meyer was spotted in a luxury box at FedEx Field with injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith, who played for Meyer at the University of Utah. Let the speculation grow that Meyer, who won national championships at Florida and Ohio State will be the next coach of the Redskins. Of course, current Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins also played for Meyer, at Ohio State. Meyer’s sighting could foreshadow an off-field showdown in the NFC East. There is widespread speculation that Dallas owner Jerry Jones covets Meyer. Given the personalities and egos of Jones and Washington owner Daniel Snyder, there could be a bidding war for Meyer.

30. Miami Dolphins

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 29)

The only real highlight of Sunday’s 36-20 loss to the Giants was that it likely was Eli Manning’s final start for New York. Injured rookie Daniel Jones is expected back in the lineup next week, and Manning probably will retire or play for another franchise next year. But there were a few bright spots for the Dolphins, too. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver DeVante Parker hooked up on two touchdown passes. More significantly, the loss keeps the Dolphins in the race for an early draft pick, where they can seek a long-term answer at quarterback — because there is no long-term future with Fitzpatrick or backup Josh Rosen.

29. Detroit Lions

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

(3-10-1. Last week: 28)

The Lions lost 37-17 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. That means they now have suffered 10 losses in consecutive years with Matt Patricia as coach. They also ran their losing streak to seven games. Does all that mean Patricia is on the hot seat? There are two ways to look at it. First, Patricia’s record in Detroit (9-20-1) has been unimpressive, and coaches have been fired for less. The fan base probably wouldn’t be too upset if Patricia gets canned. But on the flip side, Patricia still has his team playing hard even though the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough and are dealing with a rash of injuries. For the sake of continuity, I would give Patricia one more season.

28. New York Giants

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(3-11. Last week: 31)

A 36-20 victory against the Miami Dolphins may not seem like much. But there was a big storyline for the history of New York’s franchise. This almost certainly was the last start of Eli Manning’s tenure with the Giants, as he threw for two touchdowns and Saquon Barkley ran for two more. Daniel Jones is New York’s quarterback of the future. Jones has been out with an ankle injury, and that’s the only reason Manning has been back as the starter. But Jones returned to practice on a limited basis last week and is expected to return as the starter for the final two games of the season. This win was important for Manning, who could decide to retire after the season. It got his career record back to .500. Manning is a borderline Hall of Famer. A .500 record sounds a lot better than a losing record to Hall of Fame voters.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 27)

The Jaguars went to California and beat the Raiders in their final game in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas next season. But the win doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that significant changes will be made in Jacksonville in the offseason. That could mean coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell are on the hot seat. Any or all of them could be gone after two disappointing seasons since a berth in the AFC Championship Game. The other big question in Jacksonville is who will be the quarterback next season. Rookie Gardner Minshew has outplayed the high-priced Nick Foles. Minshew has earned the right to at least compete with Foles in the preseason.

26. New York Jets

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week: 24)

Thursday night’s game against Baltimore went exactly as expected. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL Most Valuable Player, threw for 212 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for 86 yards. That’s no surprise, since Jackson has put up huge numbers all season. What is surprising, and concerning, is that the Jets suddenly seem to be a team in turmoil. During Sunday’s game, coach Adam Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold had a heated exchange on the sideline. They downplayed the incident after the game, but it still wasn’t a good sign. Running back Le’Veon Bell, the source of controversy in Week 14 when he supposedly missed the game with the flu but was seen bowling the previous night, returned and rushed for a season-high 87 yards. Maybe Bell should go bowling more often. The Jets also clinched their fourth straight losing season. That’s their longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.

25. Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

(5-9. Last week 23)

On the surface, a 30-24 loss to Seattle isn’t embarrassing. The Seahawks are one of the best teams in the NFL, after all. But this one was embarrassing when you look at it from another perspective. The Panthers now are 2-5 at home this season. That’s embarrassing because the Panthers have good fans, and Bank of America Stadium has given the team a home-field advantage in the past. But the Panthers have lost six games in a row, and their future has more questions than answers. Will Kyle Allen, who threw three interceptions Sunday, be the starter next year? Or will it be longtime franchise quarterback Cam Newton? The bigger question is who will be the coach next year? Don’t be surprised if Urban Meyer’s name surfaces. Carolina owner David Tepper has the funds and the desire to compete with the big boys — Dallas’ Jerry Jones and Washington’s Daniel Snyder — for Meyer’s services.

32-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | 8-1

Christian McCaffrey finishes No. 5 in 2019 Pro Bowl fan voting

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey won’t win the MVP award this year. He is going to the Pro Bowl, though.

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey won’t win the MVP award this year. He is going to the Pro Bowl, though. Voting for this year’s teams has now closed and McCaffrey got the fifth most fan votes of any player in the league. Only Dalvin Cook, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson earned more.

McCaffrey padded his resume again in Sunday’s loss, totaling 175 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns against the Seahawks. For the season, he’s up to 2,121 yards and 18 scores. He can still catch Chris Johnson’s single-season record (2,509), but it’s a long shot and he will need a very productive last two games of the year.

For what it’s worth, the Panthers seem to have no inclination to rest McCaffrey or give any other running backs playing time. He played every snap against Seattle.

As for the Pro Bowl, veterans often bow out but this will be McCaffrey’s first nomination, so we can probably expect to see him show up.

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Tunnel Vision of Week 15

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Jameis Winston 458 – 4 4
 Lamar Jackson 212 – 86 5
 Ryan Tannehill 279 – 10 3
 Patrick Mahomes 340 – 11 2
 Mitchell Trubisky 348 – 29 1
Running Backs Yards TD
Kenyan Drake 146 4
Christian McCaffrey 175 2
Miles Sanders 172 2
Ezekiel Elliott 160 2
Saquon Barkley  153 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Breshad Perriman 116 3
Julio Jones 134 2
Jamison Crowder 90 2
DeVante Parker 72 2
Terry McLaurin 130 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Ricky-Seals Jones 29 2
Travis Kelce 142 0
George Kittle 134 0
Darren Waller 122 0
Zach Ertz 61 1
Placekickers XP FG
Dan Bailey 3 4
Robbie Gould 1 3
Nick Folk 4 2
Dustin Hopkins 3 2
Harrison Butker 0 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Vikings 2 – 7 1
Patriots 0 – 5 1
Eagles 1 – 1 1
Buccaneers 2 – 3 1
Packers 3 – 3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

Pretty light but last week removed some important players from this Sunday already.

WR Chris Godwin – Hamstring
WR Scott Miller – Hamstring
RB J.D. McKissic – Neck
RB Dalvin Cook – Shoulder
WR Brandin Cooks – Back

Chasing Ambulances

WR Chris Godwin – The Buccaneers already missed Mike Evans and then Chris Godwin went down untouched and had to be carted to the locker room. While the prognosis isn’t available as of this writing, all such signs usually mean missing a week or more And only next week matters.  Breshad Perriman (5-113, 3 TD) was the one to step up with Evans gone.

Scotty Miller also scored in his first game back from injury but then pulled his hamstring. Justin Watson turned in a touchdown in Week 14 replacing Evans for part of the game but was limited to only two catches for 17 yards. If Godwin is still out, Perriman becomes the No. 1 but he won’t surprise anyone after his three scores in Week 15.

Watson would have to play more as the only receiver with any experience left on the roster. The Bucs host the Texans and their weak secondary this week. And Jameis Winston is on a mission to post yardage and scores.

RB Dalvin Cook – He went down yet again with a shoulder injury. He was in obvious pain and seemingly more than the times before. He has to be in doubt for the homestand against the Packers and their weak rushing defense this week. Alexander Mattison would have been the backup, but he was inactive with an ankle injury.

That only leaves Ameer Abdullah (5-25) and Mike Boone (13-56, 2 TD) behind. The Vikes need a run game and whichever back starts will be fantasy relevant against the soft Packers run defense.  If  Cook or Mattison do not return, then expect the same sort of committee with Abdullah and Boone. Cook was injury-prone for his first two seasons and seemed to finally get over his durability issues. Until you absolutely, positively needed him for one specific game. Oh, Dalvin…

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Christian McCaffrey – He not just the guy with the magic year in most of the league playoffs, and he’s not just the No. 1 fantasy running back but a significant margin. He is also the only Panthers player that ever produced over 2,000 total yards in one season. He’s rushed for 1,307 yards on 265 carries and added 814 yards on 94 receptions. That’s 2,121 yards. He still has two more games.

RB Chris Carson – Already had a strong season but the Seahawks just lost Rashaad Penny last week. That left Carson to run 24 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Panthers. Penny was getting up to 15 carries but C.J. Prosise (5-15) and Travis Homer (2-7) didn’t get in the way as much.

RB Joe Mixon – He rushed for 136 yards on 25 carries and even caught three passes for 30 yards versus the No. 1 defense versus running backs. The Bengals only passed for 151 yards and lost the game badly. But at least Mixon’s late-season push continues. He’ll be interesting in 2020 so long as the offense around him gets an upgrade.

QB Jameis Winston – Fractured thumb be damned. Winston passed for 458 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions were nicely timed for fantasy owners in their playoffs. He leads the NFL with 4,573 passing yards and that is a pace for 5,226 yards. That would rank fourth-best in NFL history. He averages 326 yards per game and his final two games are at home against the Texans and Falcons. He only needs 213 yards per game to become the eighth quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards.

WR Anthony Miller – He’s produced marginal stats at best this season but he gained over 100 yards in each of his last two road games and scored these last two weeks. His nine catches for 118 yards and a touchdown this week was a season-best.

WR Davante Adams – The Packers only threw for 203 yards and one score on Sunday, but Adams accounted for 103 yards on seven catches and caught the lone touchdown pass.  The Packers have evolved to where there is no fantasy value in any receiver aside from Adams. No matter what happens in the Packers’ passing effort, Adams will produce and no one else will.

TE Travis Kelce – He reeled in 11 catches for 142 yards in the win over the Broncos. He now totals 1,131 yards on the year in the thinnest of fantasy positions. He also just set the record for the only tight end in the history of the NFL to record four straight 1,000 yard seasons.

WR DeVante Parker – He was a flop for his first three seasons. Parker currently totals 59 catches for 954 yards and eight touchdowns and should break 1,000 yards likely this week when they host the Bengals. He just signed a 4-year, $40 million extension. Apparently, he only comes to life when the Dolphins offense becomes completely stripped of all talent. He scored four touchdowns over the last three games.

RB Carlos Hyde – After six years and four different teams, Hyde currently stands at 224 carries for 1,030 yards for the Texans. His first 1,000-yard season. He was only paid $1.8 million this year and is a free agent in 2020. Will the Texans finally draft a talented rookie back or just more of the same by re-signing Hyde?

WR Terry McLaurin – All may not be lost with Dwayne Haskins. The speedy rookie McLaurin just scored for the second week in a row and gained a career-best 130 yards on five catches versus the Eagles.

WR Odell Beckham – He’s nursed a sports hernia all season according to recent reports. And he’s been a disappointment to fantasy owners. He did just catch a season-best eight passes for 66 yards at the Cardinals, in a game where Jarvis Landry was held to only five receptions for 23 yards. He fielded a season-high 13 targets versus eight for Landry.

TE Tyler Higbee – He led the Rams with 12 catches for 111 yards in the loss to the Cowboys. He is in his fourth season and had never gained more than 295 yards in any year. Higbee just turned in his third 100-yard game in a row. He’s suddenly reached the Top-10 for tight ends this season. Gerald Everett is out and had been the lead receiver.  Higbee replaced Everett at an opportune time, but he’s been the No. 1 tight end for the last three weeks.

WR Julio Jones – The Falcons star didn’t have to share with Calvin Ridley but was facing the 49ers defense in San Francisco. He ended with 13 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner.  He also became the only wideout with 20 targets in one game this year. Tyler Lockett was the leader with 18 in Week 9.

Huddle player of the week

Kenyan Drake  –   Someone is going to be a soon-to-be rich free agent in 2020. Drake just ran for 137 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries and added nine yards on one catch in the win over the Browns. He’s everything that you thought David Johnson would be. Timing is everything in the world of expiring rookie contracts.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 312 2 QB Jimmy Garoppolo 206 1
RB Miles Sanders 172 2 RB Melvin Gordon 64 0
RB Tony Pollard 143 1 RB Dalvin Cook 43 0
WR Breshad Perriman 116 3 WR Emmanuel Sanders 9 0
WR Jamison Crowder 90 2 WR Julian Edelman 9 0
WR Anthony Miller 118 2 WR Robert Woods 17 0
TE Ricky Seals-Jones 29 2 TE Hunter Henry 29 0
PK Dan Bailey 3  XP  4  FG PK Greg Zuerlein   1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 129 Huddle Fantasy Points = 28

Now get back to work…

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook ruled out vs. Chargers with shoulder injury

Two weeks ago against the Seahawks, Cook appeared to have had the same type of injury.

The feel-good story for the 2019 season has been the fact that Dalvin Cook has been able to stay healthy.

That changed on Sunday against the Chargers in Los Angeles. In the third quarter, Cook went down and hurt his right shoulder. He was immediately ruled out.

Two weeks ago against the Seahawks, Cook appeared to have had the same type of injury. He didn’t return in that one, either.

Cook has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time this season and has 13 rushing touchdowns.

The Vikings are already without Alexander Mattison (ankle). We’ll see Mike Boone and Ameer Abdullah at running back for the rest of Week 15. We’ll see if Cook will be ready in Week 16 against the Packers in Minneapolis.

Vikings duo does something that hasn’t happened in 10 years

The last time this happened was 2009.

Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs hit the 1,000-yard mark after a 19-yard catch against the Chargers on Sunday.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook hit the 1,000-yard mark on the ground earlier in the season.

In doing so, the Vikings now have a receiver and running back with 1,000 or more yards. Per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, it’s the first time that has happened since the 2009 season when Sidney Rice and Adrian Peterson did so.

Stopping Vikings RB Dalvin Cook is critical for a Chargers victory

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is going to be a tough task for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers are looking to play spoiler this weekend against a Minnesota Vikings team that’s eager to earn the crown as NFC North champions.

The Vikings can beat their opponents in a multitude a ways, but it’s been running back Dalvin Cook that has been the knockout punch, posting one of his best seasons yet.

There were many that believed Cook would breakout in 2019 after being hampered with injuries in his first two seasons, playing in a new zone scheme under Gary Kubiak. With durability still a concern, Cook has defied the odds.

Heading into Week 15, Cook is tied for the league lead with 13 rushing touchdowns, while ranking fourth in the NFL with 1,108 rushing yards and second with 1,611 yards from scrimmage.

Cook has really come into his own, beating opposing defenses with his power, elusiveness, contact balance and speed when the football is in hands.

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Cook has been utilized out of the backfield as a receiver quite often, where he shines in space.

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His speed is what makes him so dangerous in the screen game, making it difficult for defenders to keep pace.

Outside of being another weapon for quarterback Kirk Cousins in the passing game, he has done some amazing things on the ground.

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Cook’s power and contact balance is second-to-none. He will make defenders pay and tackling is an area that’s been a struggle for the Chargers.

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Cook’s footwork and vision are off the charts. The Chargers have to play gap sound football to make sure he doesn’t find cutback lanes.

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If the Chargers over pursue, Cook is going to notice and find openings for big gains, allowing the Vikings to control the clock.

Overall, stopping Cook isn’t going to be an easy task.

Though the Chargers run defense has been a lot better in previous weeks, especially with the return of safeties Derwin James and Adrian Phillips, Cook presents a challenge that this team hasn’t faced this season.

They can’t load the box because Cousins will eat in the passing game with wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. The Bolts need to have gap integrity, make sure their tackling is on point and they can’t over pursue to the football.

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5 Vikings players the Chargers must game-plan for in Week 15

Chargers Wire’s lays out five Vikings players the Chargers must game-plan for.

The Los Angeles Chargers face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15 of the 2019 regular season.

The Vikings, who are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, have five specific players that the Bolts must really hone in on in order to pull off the upset on Sunday.

With that, here are the group of Vikings players the Chargers must game-plan for:

QB Kirk Cousins

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The Vikings may have found their long term at quarterback as Cousins is playing at an elite level this season. Cousins has completed 70% of his passes for 3,274 yards and 24 touchdowns. His passer rating of 112.0 ranks second in the NFL.

Cousins hasn’t been susceptible to making mistakes as he’s only thrown four interceptions. This means that the Chargers will have to force him into mistakes by putting him under duress with defensive end Joey Bosa, who’s coming off a two-sack performance, Melvin Ingram and safety Derwin James off the edge.

4 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 15 opponent

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out four things to know about the Los Angeles Chargers opponent.

The Los Angeles Chargers (5-8) are set to take on the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, Dec. 15 at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Here are four key things to know about the Week 15 matchup:

Kirk Cousins has been red hot

Since Week 5, Cousins has totaled an NFL-best passer rating of 120.0. He leads the league with 21 touchdown passes and ranks third with 2,539 passing yards and a completion percentage of 72%. Cousins also isn’t known for turning the ball over as much as he has only thrown four interceptions this season.

Adding to the arsenal

Cousins has managed to post the majority those numbers without one of the team’s best wideouts, Adam Thielen. Thielen has been hampered by a hamstring injury since Week 7, which has forced him to watch the majority of the action from the sidelines.

Now, likely to play this weekend, Thielen provides Cousins with an extra big play threat and a reliable option on third downs opposite of Stefon Diggs, who ranks No. 10 in the league with 997 receiving yards.

Can beat you on the ground

Not only can the Vikings beat you through the air, but they’re a proven team out of the backfield. Running back Dalvin Cook’s ranks No. 4 in the NFL with 1,108 rushing yards and is tied for first with 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Hunter is going to be ready to hunt

The Vikings’ defense isn’t anything to boast about, ranking in the middle of the pack in each category. But defensive end Danielle Hunter’s contributions have benefited immensely. Coming off a three-sack performance against the Lions last weekend, Hunter is now up to 12.5 sacks on the season. He became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks.

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