The Dallas Cowboys flexed their muscles in a big way against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The Cowboys’ defense recorded seven sacks and eight tackles for loss in a game that was so out of hand that CBS switched coverage to the Bengals vs. Steelers game early in the third quarter. Dallas ultimately won 40-3.
Cowboys’ linebacker Micah Parsons has been quiet in recent weeks, but broke out against Minnesota, recording a strip-sack on Kirk Cousins’ first pass attempt on the game’s first drive. Dorance Armstrong recovered the fumble to set Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott and company up with a short field. Kicker Brett Maher hit his first field goal of the day on the turnover to give Dallas an early 3-0 lead.
Parsons would record two sacks on the day and a tackle for loss while constantly being a disruptive force on defense. Dorance Armstrong also recorded two sacks, two tackles for loss, and three total tackles. DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., and Jayron Kearse also recorded sacks in the game. The Dallas defense held Cousins to just 105 yards with no touchdowns.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott made his return to action for the first time since Week 7. Elliott had 15 touches, earned 42 yards, and found pay dirt twice, but it was Tony Pollard who recorded the bulk of the Cowboys’ 151 ground yards. Pollard also carried 15 times and picked up 80 yards that included a 20-yard burst. Where Pollard was particularly dangerous was in the receiving game. Pollard led the team in yards with 109, including the Cowboys’ longest play of the day, a 68-yard catch-and-run that earned the elusive back one of his two touchdown receptions.
One of the most shocking off-season alterations to the Cowboys lineup was at kicker. When Greg Zuerlein signed with New York, the Cowboys were left with few options that included an undrafted free agent kicker with local ties and a pair of kickers that had been in and out of the practice locker room. Instead, the team brought back Maher, who was with the team in 2018 and 2019. Maher holds the franchise record for the longest field goal in team history and was tested again on Sunday.
With just 0:31 before the half, Prescott took the field with the ball at the Dallas 14-yard line. Receiver CeeDee Lamb made a spectacular toe-tapping, leaning grab to collect 27 yards and give Maher an opportunity to add to the Cowboys’ 20-3 lead. Lining up for a 60-yard try, Maher knocked the ball through the uprights only to find that the Vikings had thrown the challenge flag on the previous play. Referees upheld the catch, but Maher had to line up for the kick for a second time. Again, Maher was perfect, drilling the kick between the uprights. Though only one counted, Maher showed just why the Cowboys had enough faith in his abilities to bring him back for a second stint.
The second half was more of the same, with the Vikings unable to move the ball and punting four times. The only Vikings drive in the second half that gained more than 20 yards was the final drive, in which Minnesota gained only 38 yards.
Dallas faces off against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on Thursday and will hope for a Thanksgiving feast to take the sole position of second place in the NFC East.