Minnesota Vikings Game Ball: Week 10

Let’s get to this a whole lot earlier in the week than I have been recently, as it’s time to hand out the Game Ball for the Minnesota Vikings in the wake of their 28-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

There were plenty of pretty solid performances for the purple on Sunday night, so let’s start running them down here, shall we?

Dalvin Cook, RB - This is the sort of performance that we’re starting to expect from Cook on a week-in, week-out basis. Cook led the Vikings in rushing and receiving on Sunday night (97 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, 86 yards on seven receptions). He truly has established himself on the short list of the best all-around weapons in the National Football League, and currently leads the NFL in yards/game at 141.5. That’s pretty damn good.

Kirk Cousins, QB - No, the numbers won’t necessarily blow anyone away. . .Cousins was 23/32 for 220 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. . .but this is more about putting the stupid “Kirk can’t win in prime time” narrative to rest. There weren’t a lot of “wow” plays, but he did what he needed to do on a night when the running game was killing it, and when he had to make throws, he made them. Since his disaster game in Chicago, Cousins has accounted for 15 passing touchdowns and one interception (that wasn’t even his fault).

Danielle Hunter, DE - The Minnesota defense didn’t have a hell of a lot to write home about from Sunday night’s game, but Hunter’s performance was one that stood out. According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter racked up ten pressures of Dak Prescott on Sunday night, and he did it against La’el Collins, who is getting All-Pro talk at the right tackle spot. This is the third time this season Hunter has put up 10 pressures in a game. He didn’t end up with any quarterback sacks, but that was more of a function of Prescott just doing ridiculous things than it was of anything Hunter was doing.

Kyle Rudolph, TE - Usually, four catches for 14 yards won’t get you recognition here. Two touchdowns damn sure will, though. . .particularly when one of them looks like this:

Don’t look now, but after a slow start to the season, the Vikings’ new “blocking tight end” is tied for second on the team with four touchdown receptions. Rudolph has always been a tremendous red zone threat, and he’s getting more and more chances to show that as the season moves along.

Those are the candidates I have for this week, folks. Who do you think is the most deserving?

• Week 1 - Anthony Harris, S
• Week 2 - Dalvin Cook, RB
• Week 3 - Dalvin Cook, RB
• Week 4 - Nobody (because everyone was awful)
• Week 5 - Kirk Cousins, QB
• Week 6 - Kirk Cousins, QB
• Week 7 - Kirk Cousins, QB
• Week 8 - Dalvin Cook, RB
• Week 9 - Laquon Treadwell, WR