The Dallas Cowboys knew that their odds were long. Even if they won four games in a row to close the 2025 season out, playoffs were not promised.
But you can only control what you can control and that was the message that the team preached all week. The Week 14 loss in Detroit took some wind out of their playoff sails, but a win at home against the Minnesota Vikings could keep hope alive. It could make things interest. It was part of what they controlled.
What’s more is that so many believed that they would. Oddsmakers favored them by over a field goal and just a few hours before kickoff the Vikings were formally eliminated from playoff contention themselves. It was as ideal of a situation as you could conjure up.
It would appear that there is a more ideal one as the Cowboys dropped the ball and just about ended their season. They are still technically alive, we will talk about that soon enough, but this was when they knew they had to be perfect and they were nowhere close to it.
Obviously this is not shocking to anyone who has been following this team all season long. They have fallen short in these types of moments over and over again.
Those “types” of moments are just about gone until 2026 following the loss to Minnesota. Any real energy belongs to the 2026 season at this point.
Below you will find our recap of how Sunday night unfolded. It was rough.
First Quarter
The Dallas Cowboys won the toss and deferred which put the defense on the field first. Given that there were reports about how Logan Wilson was set to start at linebacker… it was exciting to say the least.
It took two plays for things to get legitimately exciting. Donovan Wilson got pressure in J.J. McCarthy’s face and wisely put his hand up to block a pass. That errant ball landed in the expectant arms of Quinnen Williams to give the Cowboys a turnover and more importantly… the ball!
After a couple of plays the Cowboys appeared to stall out and had to settle for a Brandon Aubrey field goal. They didn’t, though! They ran a fake! And got it!
Amazingly the Cowboys got down to another fourth down and went for it yet again, although this time conventionally by way of a Javonte Williams run.
After getting it Javonte was in the end zone one play later.
SCORE: COWBOYS 7, VIKINGS 0 (Javonte Williams touchdown)
The Cowboys defense went to work and while they were not able to generate a turnover they did force a punt. Dante Fowler was a particular point of pride on the possession in question and helped stop Aaron Jones.
Unfortunately KaVontae Turpin let a punt go that he maybe should have fielded. The bounce really worked against Dallas and put them just about on their own goal line.
Malik Davis was in at running back for the possession as it was reported that Javonte Williams was dealing with a shoulder injury. Ultimately the Cowboys wound up punting after a three and out as they did not want to get too cute.
It took two plays once more for Minnesota to have a moment. On the first one of them Aaron Jones had a massive gain and a penalty added to it to make matters worse. A few seconds later J.J. McCarthy hit Jalen Nailor for a game-tying touchdown.
SCORE: COWBOYS 7, VIKINGS 7 (J.J. McCathy to Jalen Nailor touchdown)
When the Cowboys took over it was noted by the NBC broadcast that Javonte Williams was questionable to return with a shoulder injury so that corroborated everything to date.
Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a huge gain and the Cowboys were in striking distance as the opening quarter came to a close. To help matters a facemask penalty really put Dallas close to another score.
Second Quarter
Two plays into the second quarter… the Cowboys had a touchdown once more. This one was courtesy of Malik Davis who was (obviously) in for Javonte Williams.
SCORE: COWBOYS 14, VIKINGS 7 (Malik Davis touchdown)
The Vikings made sure to show up for the next drive, though. They moved thoroughly down the field and kept getting in their own way to keep themselves from scoring a touchdown. They wound up with a short situation right on the goal line and then J.J. McCarthy pulled the Peyton Manning bootleg.
SCORE: COWBOYS 14, VIKINGS 14 (J.J. McCarthy touchdown)
The game was tied at this point which felt weird because it had for so long felt like Dallas was in control. The Cowboys nevertheless began moving once more and ultimately stalled out in field goal range. Brandon Aubrey, though.
Unfortunately Aubrey pushed his 51-yard attempt wide to the right which kept things tied and gave the Vikings solid field position to work with.
Minnesota was able to scrap out a field goal which gave them their first lead of the night. It set Dallas up with a chance to score and 1:48 to do so. Given that Dallas deferred to start the game the drive also offered a potential double-dip opportunity.
SCORE: COWBOYS 14, VIKINGS 17 (Will Reichard 29-yard field goal)
The Cowboys were able to work quickly to get in field goal range themselves. Given Aubrey’s recent miss there was a little bit of breath holding for the first time in a while with him.
Never fear. All was good.
SCORE: COWBOYS 17, VIKINGS 17 (Brandon Aubrey 17-yard field goal)
That was the half.
Third Quarter
The Cowboys received mixed news as the second half started. Javonte Williams was back (and did well on his first carry), but Hunter Luepke was ruled out with a concussion. It was noted that the injury occurred on the final kickoff to end the first half.
Luke Schoonmaker (really) had an amazing catch that put the Cowboys at the Minnesota 11-yard line. A play later it appeared that CeeDee Lamb was interfered with in the end zone, but nothing was called.
Unfortunately the Cowboys had to settle for a field goal which felt like a failure. Still, points are points.
SCORE: COWBOYS 20, VIKINGS 17 (Brandon Aubrey 26-yard field goal)
This will sound shocking, but it is true. The Dallas Cowboys defense pitched a three and out on their next drive. It was a Christmas miracle.
Dallas tried to get KaVontae Turpin involved on offense on the next possession, a curious move given that George Pickens had not really had many moments at this point in the game. But hey, whatever.
Things stalled out yet again and Brandon Aubrey delivered once more.
SCORE: COWBOYS 23, VIKINGS 17 (Brandon Aubrey 41-yard field goal)
Right off the bat the Vikings were across midfield. Playing with your food has consequences.
Not long after that the Vikings were up against the goal line. Keep in mind before you reed the next sentence that the previous Cowboys four possessions ended with a field goal kick (they missed one obviously).
Boom. Vikings touchdown. The lead changed hands.
SCORE: COWBOYS 23, VIKINGS 24 (C.J. Ham touchdown)
The Cowboys crossed midfield right as the third quarter ended.
Fourth Quarter
As noted the Cowboys were across midfield pretty soon into the possession. It will shock you to learn that things stalled for them once more.
Dallas settled again for a Brandon Aubrey field goal and this one was a 59-yard attempt. Nobody is perfect and this really applied to Aubrey on Sunday night as he pushed it wide right for his second miss on the game.
The ball does not lie as they say and as if it told the truth enough on that miss… it really sang some prophecy as the Vikings were driving down the field for another touchdown to make things feel grim.
SCORE: COWBOYS 23, VIKINGS 31 (J.J. McCarthy to Jalen Nailor touchdown)
Obviously things were tense for the Cowboys at this point. They moved and operated that way, but they just could not find any kind of success.
Soon enough it was 4th and 7 right around midfield. They got 6. Story of the year.
Minnesota reached a fourth and short near midfield and went for it. It was Aaron Jones, because of course it was.
From that point on the Vikings went into clock-draining mode and were mostly successful. They had to settle for a field goal inside of two minutes, but that made it a 11-point game.
SCORE: COWBOYS 23, VIKINGS 34 (Will Reichard 53-yard field goal)
The Cowboys did scrap out a Brandon Aubrey field goal in an attempt to pull off a miracle.
SCORE: COWBOYS 26, VIKINGS 34 (Brandon Aubrey 41-yard field goal)
There was no miracle, though. There never is with this team.
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