Vikings Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook misses practice again; status for Lions game in question

Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook somewhat defiantly vowed on Wednesday to play in Sunday's game against the winless Detroit Lions even though he is still working to fully recover from a right ankle sprain that cost him one contest and limited him during last Sunday's 14-7 home loss to the Cleveland Browns. 

However, ESPN's Courtney Cronin reported Cook was a non-participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio notes Cook was ultimately ruled out of the Week 3 outing against the Seattle Seahawks after he failed to practice ahead of what became Minnesota's only win, to date, of the season. 

"I don't feel like I'm getting worse," Cook said Wednesday when explaining he intended to be in the lineup against Detroit as of that time. "I don't feel like I'm headed in the wrong direction. I feel like I'm headed in the right direction to get myself back to where I need to be at. You have those days, but we just played a game. Just trying to work myself back to being 100% so I can help us win games." 

He added: "Part of this game is playing through pain, and that's what comes with it. Playing through injury is something different. Playing through pain, that's what comes with this game. And that's what I'm dealing with, a little pain." 

Cook finished the Cleveland game with only nine carries for 34 yards, while backup Alexander Mattison accumulated 112 rushing yards on 26 attempts with six receptions for 59 yards filling in for Minnesota's RB1 against Seattle. 

The Vikings' offensive scheme coupled with Mattison's abilities and a favorable matchup suggest there should be no reason to force Cook into action against Detroit, especially if there's a risk of him worsening his injury.