July 2nd, 2019 
Matt Loede 
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Following a season in which the Vikings went 8-7-1 and fell short of their goal to win the NFC North, there’s a level of excitement about the team as 2019 approaches.
Now that the calendar has turned to July, the start of training camp is closing in and things are ramping up for the franchise to get ready for 2019.
Today we take a quick look at three questions about this team as they get set to embark on what they hope will be a season playing into early February.
1. Give Cousins a Chance
Kirk Cousins had plenty of ups and downs as the QB for 16 games for the Vikings in 2018, but he still wrapped up the season with 30 touchdowns and a QB rating of 99.7.
The line has to play better for him this season, as overall the team allowed 40 sacks, way too many for Cousins to not only be good, but for the team as a whole to be consistent.
Let’s see if this team can get on the same page early on.
2. More Cook Please
Dalvin Cook played in 11 games, starting 10, and looks like a dynamic back that can have a big impact on this offense in 2019.
He ran for 615 yards and a pair of scores, which included a 70-yard run during the campaign. Overall Cook put up 4.6 yards per carry, even with at times an offensive line that just didn’t block as well as they could.
Look for a camp that puts Cook into more situations of getting into the open field, and he should have a big season for the Vikings.
3. A Defense That Could Be Even Better
Last season the Vikings defense looked great at parts of the season, and wrapped up the season finishing fourth in yards allowed, with 9th overall in points given up.
The team did have their letdowns, like allowing 29 points to the Packers, 27 to the Bills and 38 to the Rams in weeks two, three and four.
They have to be more consistent, and look for this D to have a season in which they help this franchise make a run to the postseason.
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With Cook providing more of a strong RB presence, this will take pressure off of Cousins and help keep opponents off-balance. The Vikings defense started the 2018 season a bit slow but had a strong finish and is poised for another great season in 2019.