Reports of the Cowboys’ demise have been grossly exaggerated. Dallas entered the game with the world questioning their ability to stop the run, predicting it would be the downfall for an organization that sat with a 6-3 record despite not having their franchise quarterback for five games. They leave the game with the ability to claim they are the most complete team in their conference after absolutely smashing the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings entered the game with an 8-1 record, winners of seven in a row, but with a small 35-point differential on the season. They are now the first team to be 8-2 with a negative differential after Dallas hung their second 40 burger in three games, winning on the road, 40-3.
The game was so out of hand CBS broke away before the third quarter was over.
The Cowboys dominated from start to finish, with Micah Parsons forcing a strip sack of Kirk Cousins on the game’s first third down. Dallas only scored a field goal on the drive and gave the three points back, but the route was on soon after. Dak Prescott was surgical, only throwing three incompletions on the day. The two-headed rushing monster was back, with Tony Pollard gaining 189 yards from scrimmage and he and Ezekiel Elliott combining for four touchdowns. And the defense… whew. Both Micah Parsons and Dorance Armstrong recorded two sacks each while three others had takedowns as wel.
In the end, Dallas had their largest margin of victory in a road win in team history and did it against the team tied for the NFL’s best mark entering Week 11.
The detractors were right, Dallas couldn’t stop the run. Dalvin Cook ran for 6.5 yards a carry on the day. However rush yards don’t lead to victories without a strong passing attack and in every instance Dallas made QB Kirk Cousins’ life miserable. There were several times in the game when Cousins most certainly did not like that pass rush that had him seeing ghosts.
The Cowboys will now return home and prepare to host the New York Giants on Thursday.