The Minnesota Vikings came away with a 34-26 win over the Dallas Cowboys on December 14 at AT&T Stadium. Nonetheless, while the victory was impressive, considering that Minnesota was eliminated from playoff contention before the game, it did come at a cost.
After the win, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell relayed an up-to-date injury report on several key players: Jonathan Greenard, Javon Hargrave, Isaiah Rodgers, and Brian O’Neill.
“Hargrave, we’re calling it a thigh injury,” O’Connell told reporters postgame. “We’re going to need to MRI that and see where he’s at. 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.”
Despite injuries to key players on defense during the game, the Vikings’ defense played well, bending but not breaking. Moreover, the Minnesota defensive unit forced the Cowboys to settle for field goals as Dallas also went 2-for-5 in the red zone.
With the defense limiting the Dallas offense, the Vikings capitalized, going 3-for-4 in the red zone. Furthermore, defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his group would help seal the road win. The Vikings came up big on defense, stopping Malik Davis on fourth-and-7 after his catch was initially ruled a first down, with replay quickly overturning 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, was unsuccessful, sealing the victory.
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Gaining More Confidence
J.J. McCarthy accounted for three touchdowns, throwing two and rushing for one, while C.J. Ham scored the go-ahead touchdown on his first carry of the season, putting Dallas on the brink of elimination.
McCarthy completed 15 of 24 passes for 250 yards but threw an interception on his very first attempt, a tipped ball that landed in the hands of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
“I think just experience, getting to my eighth game and just feeing more and more comfortable in the pocket, seeing the defenses,“ McCarthy said postgame (h/t ESPN). “I’m just another piece of the puzzle.”
J.J. McCarthy-Jalen Nailor Connection Lifts Vikings
Both of McCarthy’s touchdown passes connected with Jalen Nailor, while the Vikings’ second-year quarterback also ran one in himself. On a smart bootleg from the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal, he found the end zone, leaving defenders trailing behind.
Ham’s 1-yard touchdown run gave Minnesota a 24-23 lead late in the third quarter, and Nailor’s second touchdown reception extended the Vikings’ advantage to 8 early in the fourth, allowing them to spoil Dallas’ day just hours after their own hopes had been dashed.
“It’s just a thing to keep building on the rest of the way and leading into next year,“ Nailor said (h/t ESPN). “We just have a one-game mindset, no matter what our record is.”
McCarthy now has three games to continue this momentum. Additionally, he can end what technically is his first NFL season on a high note.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Vikings Announce Bad News After Defeating Cowboys appeared first on Heavy Sports.