Week 11 Preview: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

The Dallas Cowboys are 6-3 and have everything in front of them for the taking as they gear up to take on the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday. The Vikings are 8-1, yet the Cowboys are still a 1.5-point favorite in this game.

Dallas blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter to Aaron Rodgers. Someone they can’t seem to beat. On the other hand, the Vikings are riding high after pulling off an overtime win against the Buffalo Bills after a ridiculous catch by Justin Jefferson.

The Cowboys beat the Vikings in their building last season. Yet despite the 8-1 record this year, the Vikings are underdogs going into this week 11 matchup.

I previewed this same matchup back in July. Doing so, I went through the schedule game-by-game and noted by the time this contest rolled around; the Cowboys would be 6-3 after losing to the Packers. Guess what? Here we are.

Below you’ll see a paragraph from that July 15th post.

Now I wouldn’t have predicted the Cowboys would have gotten to 6-3 the way they have. Nonetheless, the Cowboys are sitting in the exact spot I predicted four months ago.

Dallas is right in the thick of the NFC playoff picture, and honestly, call me crazy, but they still have a chance to win this division, but they HAVE to win Sunday. The Cowboys are 4-1 in their last five games against the Vikings, and they typically find ways to beat them on the road. The last three wins in Minneapolis have come from three different quarterbacks. Dak Prescott, Andy Dalton, and Cooper Rush.

The first order of business is to find a way to slow down Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. The way the Cowboys defend the run, Cook might have a field day. Even as good as Jefferson is, I would rather have them lean on Cousins and force him into passing the football.

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— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 15, 2022

The Vikings rank 29th in opponent yards per pass attempt. CeeDee Lamb is coming off his best game this season, but Kellen Moore, RUN THE FOOTBALL.

If physically ready, Ezekiel Elliott will play Sunday, and Tony Pollard has been incredible in his absence. Like it or not, this team still needs Zeke. He is tremendous on short yardage and pass blocking; he will help. I am a fan of both guys.

We already know the key to the Cowboys’ defense, and I mentioned it above, stop the run because it is getting hard to watch.

The Vikings are loaded on offense, but like the Cowboys struggle to beat the Packers, Minnesota struggles to beat Dallas. No matter how good they are. Even at home, I see their skid against the Cowboys continuing. Six of the eight Vikings’ victories have been by one possession. It’s not like they are rolling everyone over.

Look for the Vikings to come out flat after their massive win against the Bills.

The Cowboys will pull this game out on the road against the Vikings and let everyone know they aren’t going anywhere. I am on par with my Cowboys season prediction; let’s keep it rolling.