MINNEAPOLIS — While the arrival of Kirk Cousins has, understandably, gotten most of the attention in Minnesota, the return of running back Dalvin Cook can’t be overlooked.

Cook, who tore his left ACL in the fourth game of his rookie season last year, rushed for 40 yards and had an additional 55 yards receiving in Sunday's 24-16 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

His size, elusiveness and versatility make him tough to defend, and Cousins took full advantage of it. Though he has some top-notch receivers in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, Cousins didn’t hesitate to look for Cook on both short and deeper passes.

That Cook was capable of such a big day isn’t a surprise. He became Florida State’s all-time leading rusher in just three seasons, and rushed for more yards than Adrian Peterson did in his first game with the Vikings. But the recovery from a knee injury, especially for a running back, can be a crapshoot.

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Vikings coach Mike Zimmer had seen enough during the preseason to say he wouldn’t limit Cook’s time on the field, and it was clear from the opening drive that he meant it. Cook was involved in each of the first four plays, and five of the first 10.

Cook finished with a team-high 16 carries, and also caught seven passes.

CAN’T WIN THEM ALL: Jimmy Garoppolo had won his first seven starts, two with New England and five to end the season with San Francisco last year. But Garoppolo often looked like the untested QB he still is against a Vikings D that will be in the conversation for best in the league, making some questionable throws over the middle and others into double coverage.

The play calling didn’t always work in his favor, either. Facing a second-and-29 from its own 6 at the end of the first quarter, San Francisco ran the ball on the next two plays, picking up a total of 14 yards.

But Garoppolo did show a few flashes of the skills that had every team in need of a quarterback trying to land him last year. Late in the third quarter, Garoppolo had led the Niners into the red zone only to be sacked on first-and-10 from the 17.

Flushed out of the pocket on the next play, he was scrambling to try and avoid another sack. With a Viking closing in on him, Garoppolo let loose and found Duane Pettis in the back corner of the end zone for a 22-yard score.

THAT EXPLAINS IT: Minnesota’s selection of cornerback Mike Hughes in the first round might have raised a few eyebrows, given the Vikings’ needs on the defensive line. But Hughes showed why the Vikings were right to be high on him with a pick-six in his first NFL game.

Garoppolo telegraphed his pass intended for Kendrick Bourne on third-and-eight from the 49ers 20, and Hughes read it perfectly. He stepped in front of Bourne and snagged the ball, and was into the end zone before half the Niners knew what happened.

RICHARD SHERMAN WATCH: It will never not be strange to see the cornerback wearing San Francisco’s red and gold instead of Seattle’s blue and green. What isn’t strange is seeing him wreaking havoc with offenses, as he did in the first half with a fumble recovery.