NFL
By: Greg Rector
Dallas Cowboys (6-3) at Minnesota Vikings (8-1)
Sunday 4:25 PM FOX
Dallas Cowboys fans are an angry bunch right now. Blowing a 14-point lead and losing in overtime to the Green Bay Packers in the manner they did so has Cowboys fans in a very foul mood. All the chatter after last season was cleaning up the penalties, and seeing three penalties kill their chances in the overtime shows that has not been addressed enough. I will not complain about the non-call for pass interference in overtime. These things happen. Coming off a bye week they didn’t put away a weaker opponent. Instead as so often has happened in Aaron Rodgers career against Dallas the Cowboys found ways to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory against Green Bay. If not for the Chargers playing the Chiefs, this game could have been the one flexed to a primetime slot.
Dallas Offense vs Minnesota Defense
You have a split in Cowboys Nation on who to blame for the two interceptions against Green Bay. Some blame Dak Prescott of course, while many others will say both Ceedee Lamb and Dalton Schultz are to blame. whatever the case they weren’t on the same page. That has to change in a hurry. The Vikings’ defense may not be star-studded but as we witnessed in their game against the Bills the Vikings are an opportunistic bunch. While Tony Pollard indeed was very good against Green Bay, you better bet on the return of Ezekiel Elliott for this game. He will be needed to help block Zadarius Smith and Danielle Hunter and keep both away from Prescott. Lamb was exceptional against the Packers and more of the same will be needed in Minnesota. Elliott might normally have been given the ball in the red zone rather than the pass attempt that led to the interception. 46 pass attempts are simply way too many and as we witnessed when things don’t click trouble ensues. You can keep promoting Pollard all you want, but the intangibles that Elliott provides are still a very important factor. Third-down efficiency was also non-existent for Dallas. Once again on third and short Elliott will help.
Dallas Defense vs Vikings Offense
I’ve said it before and will repeat myself, Dan Quinn MUST get this group to be much better against the run. The Packers racked up 207 yards on the ground and it was the biggest reason the Cowboys lost this game along with being unable to stop Christian Watson who had a career day receiving. This was my biggest disappointment last week. You had the bye week to get better and totally failed to do so. Aaron Jones and even the struggling AJ Dillion made mincemeat out of a porous Cowboys run defense. Because they could not stop the run, they spent over 35 minutes on the field. Yes, folks another oft-repeated refrain from me. Losing the time of possession and the turnover battles you simply are going to end up on the wrong side of the scoreboard more often than not. Minnesota has a dangerous duo in Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison out of the backfield. Stuffing them for little or no gain and even getting to them for tackles for loss has to be a focus. This week all eyes will be on Trevon Diggs facing Justin Jefferson. We all know last season Diggs was phenomenal against Jefferson, that has to happen again or it will be a long afternoon. Adding TJ Hockenson at the deadline has paid dividends for the Vikings. Micah Parsons: “Until we (put) out this fire, we’re gonna keep seeing it. If people want to keep doing their own thing, we’re gonna deal with this all year. We have to be accountable. We have to stay in our gaps, gotta stop the run. Until we do that, it’s gonna be a long year.” Don’t talk about it, fix it.
Prediction
The Vikings have taken advantage of every bounce that goes their way this season. Outside of the Eagles game Minnesota has played well enough and made the key plays to secure their eight wins. After such a huge road win against the Super Bowl favorites do they have a “letdown,” game? The Cowboys better hope so. The details killed Dallas against the Packers. That includes you, Mike McCarthy. Not kicking the field goal in overtime was a colossal mistake. Frustrating the fanbase yet again with the same self-inflicted mistakes has to stop. We get there will be mistakes, what the fans are so angry about are the SAME mistakes being a constant. At this point of the season, it’s incumbent upon every last member of this team to look in the mirror and focus. Forget about winning the NFC East, that was unlikely anyway. Work your butts off to get the best wild card seed you can. Prove me and the sports media wrong. Prove that you want to succeed. Do I see it happening? I hope it does but given the horrific mistakes still being so prevalent, I am taking the Vikings 27 to 23.
