MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Cowboys outlasted the surging Minnesota Vikings on the road and are somehow, someway still in the hunt for the NFC East. The Cowboys won 31-28 in a nail biter victory and stopped the Vikings’ three-game win streak, and conversely ended their own four-game losing streak. Dallas took advantage of opportunities in the red zone, blocked well up front resulting in an established rushing attack, and the defense forced turnovers. The team looked like they found their rhythm/continuity under new head coach Mike McCarthy for the squad’s first win on the road.
The Cowboys came into the game with two touchdowns in the previous 47 possessions, and scored twice in the first four possessions against the Vikings. Donovan Wilson got a strip sack on Kirk Cousins and DeMarcus Lawrence recovered the football to give Dallas a short field. The Cowboys were able to capitalize with a six-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to Ezekiel Elliott to give Dallas an early lead. Kicker Greg Zuerlein’s extra point was blocked.
However Minnesota answered with a 12 play, 75-yard scoring drive that ate up the clock. To end the possession, Dalvin Cook burst forward on a one-yard rush to make it a 7-6 ballgame.
In the second quarter, Dalton had an interception after a successful drive running the football. In Minnesota territory, Kendricks had great ball tracking and perfectly timed out the play to come away with the football. Things shifted back to the Cowboys after a Vikings’ penalty negated a fourth down conversion on a fake punt. Then came the extraordinary.
The second Cowboys’ touchdown happened to be one of the best catches made in 2020, and it came from rookie CeeDee Lamb. Dalton overthrew a pass into the end zone, Lamb adjusted on his route and twisted in the air to haul in the football while falling to the ground.
The excitement was not over. Donovan Wilson lit up the tape once again with a big hit on Cousins that resulted in a forced fumble that Jaylon Smith returned 21 yards to bring Dallas to Minnesota’s 48-yard line. A 32-yard completion to Amari Cooper set up Greg Zuerlein’s field goal and a 16-7 score at the end of the half.
Things began to shift in the second half as Dalvin Cook began to break to the second level. The Cowboys’ defense was not efficiently setting edges and the Vikings’ featured back took advantage. Minnesota dominated the time of possession in the third and the Cowboys had no answer for Adam Thielen. The Vikings were able to march down the field in nine plays, largely due to Thielen’s 51-yard gain beating Anthony Brown in coverage. To rub salt into the wound, he then made a spectacular one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone.
After what seemed to be a downward spiral for Dallas after the third quarter, things turned around in the fourth. Ezekiel Elliott set the stage for Pollard with three-straight runs for 24 yards when Pollard came in and patiently waited as Noah Brown made a block to open the hole and then he was off on a 42-yard sprint to the end zone. The Cowboys then got the two-point conversion with a pitch pass from Elliott to Lamb, and the Cowboys again took the lead 24-21.
This was when the hyperventilating began for Cowboys’ fans. The Vikings again directly answered with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to rookie Justin Jefferson. Then with 4:00 left on the clock, Dalton led the team down the field for what amounted to the game-winning drive. On a perfectly designed Kellen Moore play, Dalton found Dalton Schultz wide open in the end zone for a 2-yard pass to end an 11-play, 61-yard drive.
The defense took over and tight coverage by Jourdan Lewis on third down and solid pressure by Aldon Smith on fourth solidified the Cowboys’ win.
Sure things were not perfect by any means but Dallas played tough, complementary football to beat Minnesota. Dalvin Cook did reach 115 rushing yards for the day but Ezekiel Elliott came close to matching his opponent with 103, his first 100-yard game of the season and averaged more yards per carry than Cook.
Zack Martin switched to right tackle, replacing Terence Steele and Connor McGovern came in at right guard. The shift in the offensive line made an impact in boosting the running game and providing Dalton with adequate time to throw the football. Dalton threw for 203 yards, including three touchdowns. A lot of positives for the Cowboys to build off of for Thursday’s Thanksgiving matchup.
