It wasn't old timers' day for the Minnesota Vikings in last week's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The stats – 34 running plays for the Vikings and only 14 passes in a 28-22 win over the Packers – were reminiscent of how the Vikings terrorized opponents in the 1970s with their running game and the Purple People Eater's dominating defense.
The pass-run ratio was a winning formula against the Packers.
Dalvin Cook carried 30 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He added two receptions for 63 yards and another score – a 50-yard jaunt with a screen pass through the Packers' defense.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 11 of his 14 passes for 160 yards and a TD on the screen pass to Cook.
The victory ended the Vikings' two-game losing streak and made their won-loss record 2-5. They'll try to add to it in Sunday's home game against the Detroit Lions, who are 3-4 going into the halfway point of the season.
View photos of the starters for the Minnesota Vikings.
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer
OC: Gary Kubiak, DC's: Andre Patterson & Adam Zimmer, STC: Marwan Maalouf
WR: Justin Jefferson
Backed up by: Bisi Johnson & Dan Chisena
LT: Riley Reiff
Backed up by Rashod Hill
LG: Dakota Dozier
Backed up by Dru Samia
C: Garrett Bradbury
Backed up by Brett Jones
RG: Dru Samia
RT: Brian O'Neill
Backed up by Oli Udoh
TE: Kyle Rudolph
Backed up by Irv Smith Jr., Tyler Conklin & Hale Hentges
WR: Adam Thielen
Backed up by Tajaé Sharpe, Chad Beebe & K.J. Osborn
QB: Kirk Cousins
Backed up by Sean Mannion
RB: Dalvin Cook
Backed up by Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah & Mike Boone
FB: C.J. Ham
Backed up by Jake Bargas
RE: Ifeadi Odenigbo
Backed up by Hercules Mata'afa & Jordan Brailford
NT: Shamar Stephen
Backed up by Armon Watts
DT: Jaleel Johnson
Backed up by James Lynch
LE: Jalyn Holmes
Backed up by D.J. Wonnum & Eddie Yarbrough
WLB: Todd Davis
Backed up by Ryan Connelly & Troy Dye
MLB: Eric Kendricks
Backed up by Hardy Nickerson
WLB: Eric Wilson
Backed up by Hardy Nickerson
LCB: Harrison Hand
Backed up by Mark Fields II
RCB: Holton Hill
Backed up by Jeff Gladney, Kris Boyd & Chris Jones
SS: Harrison Smith
FS: Anthony Harris
Backed up by Josh Metellus & Curtis Riley
P: Britton Colquitt
K: Dan Bailey
LS: Austin Cutting
KR/PR: K.J. Osborn
Backed up by Ameer Abdullah, Chad Beebe & Mike Hughes
The Vikings did not plan such a run-heavy attack against the Packers, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said in his Zoom interview with the Detroit media.
"The weather conditions had a little bit to do with it," Zimmer said. "As we began to get successful running the football, that added to it."
Cook is off to a strong start, with 652 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns despite missing a Week 7 loss to the Falcons because of a groin injury. He also has 14 catches for 127 yards and the TD against the Packers.
Beating the Packers was important to Cook on multiple levels – personal and team oriented.
"It was great." Cook told reporters in his postgame interview. "It was my first win at Lambeau. That (winning) was most important – getting my team back on track. Getting the team back where it needs to be at.
"Losing doesn't feel good. Getting a win today was most important for me. The stats were a plus. It comes with a great performance.
"Winning comes first."
The Vikings are one of the NFL's most disappointing teams. They finished second in the NFC North last year with a 10-6 record, behind the first-place Packers (13-3) and made the playoffs as a wild card.
They won a first-round game over the Saints, a not insignificant accomplishment for what it meant about Cousins' ability to win in the postseason.
It was the third time they've made the postseason in Mike Zimmer's first six seasons as head coach. Previously, the Vikings won the North in 2017 and 2015.
They've lost some key players, both in the usual offseason personnel shuffle and since the start of the season.
Among other moves in the offseason, wide receiver Stefon Diggs was traded to the Bills. Defensive end Everson Griffen signed with the Cowboys as a free agent. Now he's a Lion.
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Wednesday Nov. 4, 2020.
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Frank Herron (75) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Albert Huggins during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand (93) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Penisini (91) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Penisini (91) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara (95) Detroit Lions defensive end Austin Bryant (94) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Jesse James (83) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (30) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Kevin Strong (92) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Justin Coleman (27) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Chase Daniel (4) Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Hall (17) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Matt Nelson (67) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Jonah Jackson (73) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus (87) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Chase Daniel (4) Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson (33) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson (33) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Everson Griffen (98) during Lions practice at the Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 4, 2020. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
They've lost two key players on the defense since the start of the season.
Defensive end Danielle Hunter, who led the Vikings with 14.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons, did not play a snap his year because of a neck injury. He eventually underwent season-ending surgery.
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who was signed as a free agent, was traded to the Ravens after the sixth game. He already had posted five sacks for the Vikings.
The Vikings appear to be undertaking a roster overhaul. They had 15 draft picks this year and 12 in 2019. Through the first seven games of this season, 20 of them have played in at least one game.
The biggest turnover is on defense.
"The biggest thing is the number of young guys we're playing with," Zimmer said when asked about the biggest change since last year
"There were times when we had seven rookies out on the field at one time (on defense). We obviously lost some really good players. Hopefully, we'll get back to the way we've been playing defense for a long time.
"One game is kind of too early to turn the corner. We might have put a foot around it. I don't know if we turned it all the way."
