Dalvin Cook makes history in victory over Green Bay

The performance that Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was amazingly impressive, as he put up 226 total yards (163 on the ground and 63 receiving yards) and found the end zone four times. As it turns out, it was not only impressive, it was downright historical.

According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, Cook became the first player since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970 to score touchdowns on each of his team’s first four possessions. Those scores came courtesy of a 21-yard run in the first quarter, a 1-yard run in the second quarter, another 1-yard run in the third quarter, and a 50-yard screen pass from Kirk Cousins in the third quarter. He accounted for all of the Vikings’ scoring on Sunday at Lambeau Field. . .well, save the four extra points that Dan Bailey added to each of his touchdowns.

Cook also did something that only two other Vikings have done in the course of team history. His performance marked the first time since 1979 that a member of the Vikings scored four touchdowns in a game. The first time it happened was when Chuck Foreman scored four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) in the 1975 regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills. The second time came in the 1979 season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, when Ahmad Rashad scored four touchdowns in a game that the Vikings also won (strangely enough) by a final score of 28-22.

Rashad was the last Viking to score four touchdowns in a game prior to today. Not Randy Moss, not Cris Carter, not Adrian Peterson, not any of those guys. Dalvin Cook did something today that no Viking had done in over 41 years. That’s pretty darn good.

Congratulations to Dalvin Cook on putting his name in both the Vikings’ and the NFL record books with his performance on Sunday afternoon.