Oakland Raiders: Victory checklist for Week 3 against Minnesota Vikings

1. Stop Dalvin Cook

Stopping Dalvin Cook is a feat that neither Falcons or Packers proved particularly adept at but one the Raiders need to figure out fast. Against Atlanta, he rushed for 111 yards and two scores on 21 carries, and against the Packers, Cook went off for 154 yards and a score on just 20 carries.

Cook’s 265 yards lead the league and he’s got a robust average of 6.5 yards per carry.

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With Cousins having attempted 42 passes through two games — and completing just 53 percent of those passes — it’s more than clear Minnesota’s offense is running directly through Cook and his 41 rushing attempts.

That fact makes it incumbent upon the Raiders to find a way to do what neither Atlanta nor Green Bay was able to do before them — focus on stopping Cook. Do that and you’re going to gum up the works that make Minnesota’s offense go.

Paul Guenther’s defense needs to swarm to the ball and give Cook absolutely no breathing room. He’s the type of back who can slither through the smallest crack and run for daylight. It’s imperative this defense doesn’t allow him to get loose.

There is a ray of hope in that department as the Raiders come into the game with the league’s fifth-ranked rushing defense. They’ve allowed zero touchdowns on the ground and limited Denver to 95 rushing yards and Kansas City to just 31.

It’s easy to write off Kansas City’s 31-yard effort since the Chiefs offense is driven by Mahomes and the passing game anyway. But Denver’s Phillip Lindsay was a 1,000-yard rusher and Pro Bowler last season.

The Broncos offense flows through him and for long stretches last season, carried the entire Denver offense. And Oakland’s defense throttled him, holding him to just 43 yards rushing on the night.

Squaring up with a back like Cook is going to be a good gauge of where this Raiders rush defense is. Let’s hope they’re up to the task.