The Minnesota Vikings don’t run the ball nearly as effectively as they have in previous years. They currently rank 28th in the NFL in rushing and the consistency isn’t there on a week-to-week basis.
One thing they have done well is this toss with a counter step from quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Vikings have run this on the goal line multiple times for touchdowns and decided to bust it out down 10 against the Indianapolis Colts.
The jet motion by Justin Jefferson and the release by T.J. Hockenson to the right along with Cousins giving the counter-step gets enough attention from the defense to help spring this. Ezra Cleveland and Christian Darrisaw sneak out to lead the block. The only reason they are able to sneak out is due to a great crack back and seal blocks from K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen.
Cook takes the option-style pitch and is able to gain the edge easily, which is the key for this play to be successful. Center Austin Schlottmann doesn’t have a great rep here, but it’s just good enough and doesn’t end up mattering. Once Cook gets the edge, it’s all about reading his blocks and he does a great job maximizing this play for 40 yards.
The funniest element of this play is Darrisaw on the bottom of the screen. He punches Stephon Gilmore away with ease. He has so many of these reps throughout the course of a game and this was no different.
Watch for them to try and maximize this concept more and more as the season goes on.
