Takeaways: Vikings beat Dolphins 24-16, enjoy bye week at 5-1

MINNEAPOLIS - They didn’t dominate and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Minnesota Vikings headed home from Miami 5-1 after a 24-16 win over the Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Kirk Cousins wore a diamond chain on the plane ride home for the second time in three weeks. There were Griddy’s, Skol chants, celebrations after turnovers and Za’Darius Smith using a "BMF" reference in the locker room post game, talking about the "Edge Department."

The Vikings’ offense struggled to find consistent traction. The defense gave up yards, but at the game’s most critical moments, different players stepped up and made plays. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but the NFL is a bottom line business. That bottom line is they have won five of their first six games under Kevin O’Connell, and have a two-game lead in the NFC North.

DALVIN COOK’S BIG MOMENT

Dalvin Cook is a Miami native, and had dozens of family and friends at Sunday’s game. He wanted nothing more than to go off, but was held largely in check until he essentially sealed the win in the fourth quarter. Cook saw a hole on the left side, made one cut and was off to the races for a 53-yard touchdown, and a 22-10 lead with 3:15 to play. Up until then, he had 12 carries for 24 yards.

He's talked for weeks about being on the verge of breaking a big run. He broke one Sunday, and it was back-breaking for the Dolphins. That’s despite an offensive performance that featured four 3-and-outs to start the game, and 10 total on the day.

GAME BALLS GALORE

O’Connell sat in his office before addressing players in the locker room after the win. He likes to give out game balls, so who would get them Sunday? One went to punter Ryan right, and one, not 20-plus, went to the entire defense for a day of big plays. It’s fun to win.

"Dennis Ryan let me know that comes out of my salary so when I was at home last night, my wife told me stop giving away game balls to everybody," O’Connell joked. "I guess with a 4th child on the way, I better start being a little more selective. But I get excited after a win like that." 

PRESSURING TEDDY

Rookie Skylar Thompson was sacked once before leaving the game with a thumb injury. Enter Teddy Bridgewater, and the Vikings’ defense had a day. They created three turnovers, and sacked Bridgewater five times. Six total on the day, with Patrick Jones II getting the first two of his career. Jordan Hicks and Danielle Hunter had one each, and Za’Darius Smith was a game-wrecker.

He had two sacks, four quarterback hits and 11 pressures. He told reporters after the win his defensive line teammates are "BMFs." We’ll let you figure that one out on your own.

HARRISON SMITH, PATRICK PETERSON CHANGE THE GAME

Harrison Smith and Patrick Peterson are veterans in the secondary, and they each had game-changing plays in Miami. Smith picked off a Bridgewater pass that deflected about 10 times before it nearly hit the turf, ending a late first half drive for the Dolphins. He might have had the defensive play of the day, forcing a Jaylen Waddle fumble that Cam Bynum recovered in the fourth quarter as the Dolphins were driving to potentially take the lead. That set up Cook’s long touchdown.

On the next series, Peterson jumped a route and intercepted Bridgewater. He had two other pass break-ups on the day and didn’t allow much on seven targets. Not an easy task, defending Waddle and Tyreek Hill.

"Harrison Smith had a big-time performance and I thought Patrick Peterson played his best football game to date. He was all over the place and really set the tone defending two premiere wide outs," O’Connell said.

A GAME-CHANGING PUNT

You generally don’t want the punter coming up after a game, but it’s hard not to talk about Ryan Wright in Sunday’s win. He got plenty of chances, with the offense unable to stay on the field and sustain drives. He punted 10 times on the day, with seven downed inside the 20-yard line. His second punt of the day went for 73 yards, flipped the field and the Dolphins couldn’t do much with it. Wright got a game ball.

The Vikings have won four straight since a Monday Night Football loss at Philadelphia. It’s their first such streak since 2019. They’re finding ways to win, whether it’s a fourth quarter comeback or making big plays at the right moments. Good teams find ways to win when they are not at their best. When O’Connell was hired in February, we all would’ve taken a 5-1 start.

Now they have to do something with it, and finish off the final 11 games.