The Minnesota Vikings picked up a 34-26 road win against the Dallas Cowboys on December 14 at AT&T Stadium. Even so, the result came with mixed emotions, as Minnesota had already been knocked out of playoff contention before kickoff.
Even after having injuries impact the defensive unit throughout the game, the Vikings stayed resilient. The defense allowed some yardage but tightened up in key spots, forcing the Cowboys to settle for field goals and holding Dallas to two scores on five red-zone trips.
After the contest, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott spoke with reporters to discuss what the Vikings did to frustrate Dallas offensively.
“The [Cover 0] that we talked about throughout the week showed up a lot,” Prescott told reporters. “We did not have a good enough answer, and when you do not have a good enough answer for that, especially against Florida, you are going to see it again and again. That is what happened.
“They did a great job on the back end, playing with vision. It made it tough to get to the beaters, the normal [Cover 0] beaters when they are playing man. They were not just looking at the man, they were looking at the quarterback.
“They were able to rally when you throw it underneath, and you do not have time to get it past them; they did a good job, kept it on us, and we did not adjust fast enough or come up with something good enough to scare them out of it. We saw it the whole game.”
Vikings Dealt Injuries to Key Players
With Dallas limited, Minnesota cashed in offensively, converting three of four red-zone chances. Brian Flores’ group delivered the defining play on the road, stopping Malik Davis on fourth-and-7 after a short catch was initially ruled a first down before replay overturned the call.
Later, Aaron Jones picked up 4 yards on a crucial fourth-and-1, setting up Will Reichard’s 53-yard field goal with 1:08 left. Dallas’ challenge on Jones’ 16-yard run, claiming he was down before the ball came out for a first down, was unsuccessful, sealing the victory.
Following the game, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell provided an updated injury rundown involving several important contributors, including Jonathan Greenard, Javon Hargrave, Isaiah Rodgers, and Brian O’Neill.
“Hargrave, we’re calling it a thigh injury. We’re going to need to MRI that and see where he’s at,” O’Connell told reporters postgame. “Brian O’Neill, foot, he’ll have an MRI, but I have not gotten much more of an update on that. Then Jonathan Greenard did aggravate his shoulder a little bit there. We’ll obviously need to take a look at him. Then Isaiah Rodgers with the elbow late.”
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Is Gaining More Confidence
Moreover, J.J. McCarthy delivered another strong showing, boosting his confidence even further. The Vikings’ second-year quarterback accounted for three touchdowns, throwing for two and running in one himself.
He completed 15 of 24 passes for 250 yards, despite an interception on his very first attempt — a tipped throw that defensive tackle Quinnen Williams picked off.
Both passing touchdowns went to Jalen Nailor, while McCarthy added a rushing score on a smart bootleg from the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal, evading defenders as he powered into the end zone. It’s now two straight weeks in which the Vikings star looks like he’s overcoming the adversity he faced this season.
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