The Dallas Cowboys fell to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15, 34-26. Moreover, while the result was likely the final nail in the Cowboys’ playoff hopes, two players received bad news on top of the loss.
On December 20, the NFL released its Gameday Accountability for Week 15, with the Cowboys’ Caelen Carson and Reddy Steward appearing on the list for their actions against the Vikings.
As part of the fine process, players are informed of any violations and have the right to appeal. Appeals are reviewed by officers and former NFL players Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, who are jointly selected and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA. Furthermore, their rulings are final and cannot be overturned.
Regarding Carson, he received a financial penalty for an incident in the second quarter at the 3:07-minute mark for what is considered unnecessary roughness after striking/kicking/tripping/kneeing. As a result, the league is fining him $5,686.
Meanwhile, Steward garnered a fine for an incident in the first quarter at the 3:08-minute mark for what was also an unnecessary roughness play after committing a horse-collar tackle. As a result, the NFL is fining him $4,667.
Vikings Defense Left Cowboys Frustrated
One reason the Vikings were able to beat the Cowboys on the road was their defense. Despite bending, the Vikings defense forced Dallas to settle for six field goal attempts, as the Cowboys went 2 of 5 in the red zone.
After the loss to the Vikings, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott shared what defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the Minnesota defense did that frustrated them that could be used against Dart in an effort to secure a third straight win.
“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 Flores, 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.”
Jaxson Dart Talks Vikings’ Defense
Minnesota’s defense has been dominant in consecutive games, helping secure two straight victories. They blanked the Washington Commanders and then held firm against the Cowboys.
Looking ahead to Week 16, Minnesota will face its third consecutive NFC East team, the New York Giants. On December 17, Giants starting quarterback Jaxson Dart offered his perspective on Flores.
“‘Just chaos,” Dart told reporters when asked about his description of Flores’ defense. “Trying to disguise different looks and bring a whole bunch of different pressures, but they’re organized in the back end, too. So they do it soundly.”
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