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 […] 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

DeMarvion Overshown returned to the field for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders about a month ago, and he was a welcomed sight, to say the least. With four games under his belt, Overshown has played himself into football shape, and he’s seen his production go up each week as […] DeMarvion Overshown returned to the field for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders about a month ago, and he was a welcomed sight, to say the least. With four games under his belt, Overshown has played himself into football shape, and he’s seen his production go up each week as well. Something else has increased steadily over the last four weeks for Overshown, and the that’s the number of snaps he’s played. He’s logged 31, 37, 46, and 47 snaps so far as he’s been on restrictions due to coming off his second major knee injury. Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings is critical for the Cowboys as they need to win out to have a shot at catching the Philadelphia Eagles in the race for the NFC East. Luckily, Dallas will get the best version of Overshown yet as he will play without a snap count. Now that the limit is not a thing anymore, those packages that I wasn’t on the field, you’ll see me more,” Overshown said. “It’ll still be some mixing and matching, but I’ll be on the field more than I have. Overshown’s game is pretty simple. He’s a heat-seeking missile that roams from sideline to sideline and also plays downhill with speed and reckless abandoned. That was on full display a season ago before he tore his ACL as he registered 90 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Simply put, Overshown is a playmaker, and the Cowboys desperately need him at his full capabilities as they look to sneak into the postseason. Unlike his first two years in Dallas, the defensive side of the ball has one key factor that can greatly assist in Overshown doing his thing, and that’s a strong interior defensive front. With Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa causing havoc, Overshown will have to worry less about offensive linemen getting to the second level, and he can freely scan the field and make plays by filling gaps against the run or tracking down pass catchers in the open field. This will also help the Cowboys’ secondary in terms of the time they have to cover, and with their struggles this season, it’s certainly much needed. Overshown shouldn’t be off the all that often for the rest of the season, especially if defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus wants to get the most out of his unit, which has faced scrutiny this season, and rightfully so. With that being said, the unleashing of Overshown will greatly help the Cowboys defensively, and hopefully it helps fuel a playoff berth. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs Decision Puts Future In Dallas In Question – Michael Bohlin, Sport DFW With the Cowboys relationship with Trevon Diggs seemingly beyond repair, are the two sides on the verge of a breakup? The Trevon Diggs experience for Dallas Cowboys fans has been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. There were impressive […] With the Cowboys relationship with Trevon Diggs seemingly beyond repair, are the two sides on the verge of a breakup? The Trevon Diggs experience for Dallas Cowboys fans has been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. There were impressive high points, such as leading the league in interceptions during the 2021 season with 11 picks, as well as some low points, most of which came over the last three seasons. With Diggs back at practice this week, there was some hope that he could ultimately be activated from the IR and rejoin the team for Week 15’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Saturday afternoon, we learned that is not happening, as ESPN’s Todd Archer reported the veteran cornerback would not be activated for this weekend’s game. That puts Diggs in a less than desirable spot, as his 21-day window closes a week from today. Cowboys’ Week 15 Decision Could Mean the End of Trevon Diggs In Dallas If Diggs is not activated by Dec. 20, he will be ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Should the Cowboys allow that to happen, it would not be surprising in the slightest to see the front office move on from the former All-Pro this offseason. As FanSided’s Devon Platana explained, Dallas could save a large chunk of change by parting ways with Diggs this offseason. In fact, should the Cowboys wait until after June 1 to decide on Diggs’ future with the franchise, Jerry Jones could cut $15.5 million from the team’s 2026 salary cap number by cutting or trading the former Alabama Crimson Tide standout. If Jones and the front office choose to move sooner on a final decision on Diggs’ future, they could cut just north of $12.5 million from next season’s cap number. Either way, Dallas would stand to save a significant amount of money against next season’s salary cap that can be distributed in different ways to improve this roster. Given Diggs’ on-again, off-again availability, he has only appeared in 19 games over the last three seasons. No one would blame Jones and the front office for moving on from a player who has not come close to living up to his part of the five-year, $97 million contract he signed before the 2023 campaign. What Do the Cowboys Need in Week 15 to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive? – Richard Paolinelli, Inside the Star To avoid being sent home for the holidays, here’s what the Cowboys must have happen this week. Before the season began, the Dallas Cowboys game tomorrow night against the Minnesota Vikings was expected to be a contest between two teams fighting to make the playoffs.As the Cowboys prepare for tomorrow’s game, those expectations are only half-right. While the Vikings are pretty much done, the Cowboys could be eliminated from a wildcard berth by the end of Sunday night. A Dallas loss to the Vikings, coupled with wins by Green Bay over Denver, San Francisco over the Titans, and Chicago over Cleveland slams the door shut on a wildcard slot. A loss to Minnesota means the best finish the Cowboys could hope for would be 9-7-1. All the teams that currently hold the three wildcard slots, and their division leaders, would have at least 10 wins. A likely Eagles’ win over the Raiders on Sunday, coupled with a Dallas loss later, would put Philadelphia just one win, or another Cowboys’ loss, away from clinching the NFC East. The Cowboys need to win on Sunday night, first and foremost. Even then, they’ll need some help from at least one team from those other four games. Vikings Mathematically Alive At 5-8, the Vikings are still mathematically alive for a wildcard spot. However, Minnesota’s season is pretty much over. They would need to run the table and have either the 49ers or Bears lose out. They’d also need a lot of help from the Cowboys, Panthers, and Lions too. J.J. McCarthy has only played in seven games this year, missing six games to injury. The Vikings had lost four straight games, with McCarthy throwing two interceptions in each game, during the last three losses. But he looked a lot better in the 31-0 rout over the Commanders last Sunday. He was 16-for-23 for 163 yards and three touchdowns with, more importantly, no interceptions. On paper, this should be an easy win for Dallas. Except the Cowboys have a bad history of making struggling young quarterbacks look like the second coming of Tom Brady. If Dallas has any chance of making the playoffs, they cannot afford to repeat this history. The defense will be the key. Dallas needs to focus on this if they want to establish the run versus Minnesota. A dominating running game is a tough thing for defenses to overcome. Teams that impose their will on the ground see significant success in the NFL and it’s a success that appears to grow as the dog days of winter progress into the postseason. At face value, the Dallas Cowboys look like one of those run-dominant teams. Their 4.6 yards/carry average ties them for 10th in the NFL. With 1,022 rushing yards, the Cowboys’ Javonte Williams ranks seventh in the NFL. They’re also in the top half of the NFL in both EPA/rush and success rate, indicating their success is meaningful and not just empty calories. A deeper dive shows the Cowboys aren’t as will-imposing as they may seem. Overall, Dallas passes at a rate of just one percent over expected. They are balanced. But on traditional running downs like 3rd-and-1 or 2, the Cowboys forgo the run and pass at a rate of a whopping 16 percent

The Dallas Cowboys may have dropped the ball last week losing to the Detroit Lions, but don’t expect that to happen in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings. They are motivated to get back to their winning ways and are playing with their backs against the wall moving forward to keep their playoff hopes alive. […] The Dallas Cowboys may have dropped the ball last week losing to the Detroit Lions, but don’t expect that to happen in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings. They are motivated to get back to their winning ways and are playing with their backs against the wall moving forward to keep their playoff hopes alive. This Week 15 matchup with Minnesota is a must-win and with home-field advantage as well as the better roster, Dallas is the favorite to be victorious this week. And although this is a team game, there are certain players who will play a more important role in this week. Below are the ones we believe will shine. Dak Prescott Dak Prescott currently leads the league in passing yards (3,637) as well as 300 passing yard games (5). He is also currently riding a three-game streak of 300 passing yard games and has a really good chance to extend that streak to four this week against the Vikings, despite them ranking fourth in the league in passing yards a game (172.3). Vikings DC Brian Flores loves to blitz and Minnesota currently leads the league in blitz percentage (49.2%). Prescott has excelled against the blitz this year throwing for 1,123 passing yards, the third-highest mark in the NFL this year, and has a 106.2 passer rating against the blitz. Because of that we should expect a big game from No. 4. Javonte Williams Javonte Williams hit the 1, 000-yard rushing mark (1,022) last week, the fourth Cowboys RB to do that in five seasons. He’s also scored double-digit touchdowns (nine rushing, two receiving) so far this season and has a really good chance of improving all of those numbers this week against Minnesota’s defense, who is currently allowing 126.8 rushing yards per game (22nd in the league). Not only should Williams to have a good game toting the rock, quite possibly rushing for his third 100+ yard game of the season, but he will also be an important part of Dallas’ aerial attack as a pass protector. No. 33 has been amazing this year in pass protection, allowing Dak Prescott extra time to do his thing. That will be important in this week against the blitz happy Vikings defense. Quinnen Williams Vikings RB Aaron Jones has been a thorn in the Cowboys side dating back to his days in Green Bay. In three regular-season games and one postseason one, Jones is averaged 122 yards per game and two touchdowns and scored a total of nine touchdowns. Even though he’s not having his best season, he has enough juice left in the tank to be dangerous. Fortunately, Dallas has just the player to contain Aaron Jones, Quinnen Williams. Since arriving, Williams has much improved the Cowboys run defense. He’s also been surprisingly effective as a pass rusher as well. In four games in Dallas he’s averaged five QB pressures and has a total of 24 since Week 11. Only Micah Parsons (30), Aiden Hutchinson (27), and Josh Hines-Allen (26) have more. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The saga between cornerback Trevon Diggs and the Dallas Cowboys continues to be a weird one. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said earlier in the week that Diggs needed to do everything the right way before returning. Despite his readiness to play, Diggs will remain on injured reserve/designated for return list, and he won’t play against […] The saga between cornerback Trevon Diggs and the Dallas Cowboys continues to be a weird one. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said earlier in the week that Diggs needed to do everything the right way before returning. Despite his readiness to play, Diggs will remain on injured reserve/designated for return list, and he won’t play against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday. Diggs hasn’t played since Week 6 when the Cowboys loss to the Carolina Panthers. His 21-day practice window is currently ongoing, but if he isn’t activated to the 53-man roster by next week, he’ll remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season. The former second-round pick signed a five-year, $97 million extension in June of 2023, but he’s struggled to see the field since then. Diggs tore his ACL after two games that season. In late 2024, Diggs was placed on injured reserve due to an issue in the same knee which led to mircofracture surgery back in January. The last full season for Diggs was in 2022, and he’s only appeared in 19 games since then. With this latest development, it calls into question not only if Diggs will play again in 2025, but if he’ll ever suit up for the Cowboys again. There already reports that the relationship may be over. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

Sunday night’s matchup between Dallas and Minnesota features two teams on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs. The Cowboys have a better foothold at this point, but the Vikings aren’t sailing away quietly. In this battle of two desperate teams, which individual Cowboys have the best and worst chances of shining? BUY DT […] Sunday night’s matchup between Dallas and Minnesota features two teams on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs. The Cowboys have a better foothold at this point, but the Vikings aren’t sailing away quietly. In this battle of two desperate teams, which individual Cowboys have the best and worst chances of shining? BUY DT Quinnen Williams After his dynamic Cowboys debut against the Raiders, Williams hasn’t been as splashy in the last three games. He’s still made a tremendous impact overall, helping Dallas beat the Eagles and Chiefs, but it’s clear opponents are focusing on stopping Williams from being a big-play terror. Unfortunately for Minnesota, they may not have the tools to neutralize him. The Vikings have given up 13 sacks in their last three games. Even in last week’s 31-0 shutout win over the Commanders, J.J. McCarthy was sacked four times. Minnesota’s pass protection has been just as leaky inside as on the edges, so it could be Williams’ best opportunity to wreak havoc since the Vegas game. And if Minnesota does focus on stopping him, that should mean good things for Dallas’ other pass rushers. Additionally, the Vikings rank just 24th in the league for total rushing offense. They tend to fall behind and abandon the run, which is good since they average a solid 4.6 yards per carry. As long as Dallas’ offense doesn’t take too long to get going, it can help Williams and the defense by forcing Minnesota away from the ground game. RB Javonte Williams Running backs have generally had productive days against the Vikings. Last week, Washington’s backs combined for 84 yards on just 17 carries. Seattle’s had 108 yards on 27 carries. The Packers’ Emanuel Wilson had 107 yards and two touchdowns in Week 12. As long as Dallas feeds Javonte Williams, it sets up to be another strong performance. A high-volume day for Williams and the other running backs also helps the Cowboys mitigate their own pass protection issues. The Vikings aren’t as equipped to take advantage of them as the Lions were, but Nathan Thomas and Terence Steele are hardly bulwarks at offensive tackle. Leaning on the run allows both of them, especially Steele, to have a much better shot at making positive contributions. CB DaRon Bland From Weeks 10-12, J.J. McCarthy threw at least two picks in each game. He’s a classic gunslinger, and that’s just the kind of quarterback that DaRon Bland loves to see. While Bland has had some coverage struggles in Matt Eberflus’ scheme, he’s still flashed his trademark ballhawk ability. There have been several near misses on picks this year, and McCarthy seems highly likely to give Bland at least one opportunity. Hopefully, Dallas’ top CB capitalizes. SELL QB Dak Prescott Because the Vikings’ offense has been so bad most weeks, it’s made it hard to tell where the cracks are on defense. Opponents have been able to stay conservative, hence those high-volume rushing totals we mentioned earlier. But in any case, that may mean a low-production game for Prescott. That’s not to say he can’t be highly efficient and contribute to a victory, but it would be surprising to see him go off for high yardage. WR George Pickens Many are hoping for a bounce-back game from the star receiver, but it’s not in the cards this week. Again, passing games tend to be pretty quiet against Minnesota. And if any receiver does put up strong numbers, it tends to be a TE over a WR. The worst thing Dallas can do is try to force the ball to Pickens in response to last week’s bad publicity. Hopefully, CeeDee Lamb is able to play to help relieve that pressure. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football this week as they attempt to keep their season alive. The Vikings had been on a four-game losing skid before ending that streak with a 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders last week. The Cowboys, on the other hand, had a three-game winning streak […] The Dallas Cowboys host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football this week as they attempt to keep their season alive. The Vikings had been on a four-game losing skid before ending that streak with a 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders last week. The Cowboys, on the other hand, had a three-game winning streak snapped as they were outdueled by the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys currently have a three-game winning streak going against the Vikings, and would love to make it four. Here are five things to watch under the AT&T lights on Sunday night. 1. Start fast While it’s satisfying to watch the Cowboys dig themselves out of a hole, it would be more enjoyable if they could just start off with the lead. But that is not how this team operates, as they are notorious for falling behind in games. Would you believe the Cowboys have trailed at some point in the first half in every single game this year? That’s crazy. Even in their three blowout wins this season against the Jets, Commanders, and Raiders, they trailed at some point in the first quarter. Even when the Cowboys finally get their act together, slow starts lead to close games, and they just don’t have the margin to handle coming up short in any more games. They must avoid that by coming out fast, getting the lead, and keeping it. The Vikings have a good defense and have the ability to keep this contest close, and that could be the recipe for disappointment for a Cowboys’ team that can’t afford to let one get away. 2. Can’t let J.J. be Dyn-o-mite! The 2024 NFL Draft was a great draft for quarterbacks. Six quarterbacks were taken within the first 12 picks. That has never happened before. Many of those teams are enjoying their QB selection as most of them have either already led their team to the postseason or will do so this year. However, the Vikings are not one of those teams. J.J. McCarthy was selected 1oth overall last year, two picks before Bo Nix. McCarthy missed all of last year with a knee injury and started this season by throwing interceptions in each of his first six games of his pro career. That’s not ideal. The good news for McCarthy is that he had his best game last week against the Commanders, where he threw three touchdowns and didn’t have a pick for the first time in his career. The Cowboys have served as a good “get right” game for many quarterbacks this season. A couple of fellow 2024 first-round QBs, Caleb Williams and Bo Nix, have had big games against Dallas. Even Jacoby Brissett and Russell Wilson found ways to exploit their defense. McCarthy will beat himself if you give him enough opportunities, but a poor showing by the Cowboys’ defense could allow this young quarterback to build on the solid showing he had last week. 3. They’re coming after Dak Very few defensive coordinators love to bring the heat as much as Vikings DC Brian Flores. The Minnesota defense has blitzed at a rate of 49.2% this season, the highest in the league, and it’s not even close. The Vikings have a multitude of quality pass rushers, and you better believe Flores will keep the Cowboys guessing as they attempt to trip up Dak Prescott and company. Despite the frequency of the blitz, the Vikings aren’t all that effective as they are middle of the road in generating pressure when blitzing. Not just that, but Prescott has been dicing up blitzes all season. Dak has thrown for 1,123 yards when blitzed this season. That is the third-most in the league this year. Expect the Vikings to come after Prescott whenever they get the chance, and hopefully, when they do, Dak can continue to punish defenses. 4. Attack of the clones If you made a Spiderman meme of running backs on the same team, it would be of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. They are both physical runners who attack north and south. They each average about 10 carries a game and give you about 4.5 yards per rushing attempt. When one spells the other, you won’t even notice, as the Vikings will just keep pounding the rock between the tackles and hope to find a crease. Fortunately, the Cowboys’ defense is much more equipped to handle this type of rushing attack these days. The interior defensive line of Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa should redirect traffic laterally and allow other defenders to chase them down. Keeping the Vikings RB clones from gaining much traction will put more pressure on McCarthy, and the more that happens, the better the Cowboys’ chances. 5. Just do the basics The frustrating thing about the Cowboys’ season is that they are doing what losing teams do. Their defense struggles to get off the field on third down, and they give up way too many touchdowns in the red zone. When it comes to the turnover differential or penalties, the Cowboys are fourth-worst in the league in both areas. Even the offense, which is the strength of the team, is middle of the road in both red zone scoring and converting on fourth down. They’re just not playing like winners. If the Cowboys want to be a winning football team, then they need to be better in these basic areas. And unlike what they showed us last week against the Detroit Lions, they must do better on special teams so they don’t have such a field position disadvantage. All of these things culminate into a finished product, and the Cowboys need