The Vikings started 1-5, so the team could play with nothing to lose for quite a while.
Minnesota rattled off three consecutive victories. Losing would have all but assured fans that this would not be a memorable season. Winning on the other hand has turned the naysayers into believers.
For the first time in three games, Minnesota has to do something that it may be unaccustomed to doing in 2020: winning when the expectations are high.
The Vikings play a Cowboys team that is missing Dak Prescott. The Dallas defense has given up the most points per game in the NFL, according to ESPN,
Despite how bad the Cowboys (2-7) have been this year, this matchup has the makings of a trap game. Dallas played an undefeated Pittsburgh team extremely close.
There’s also the possibility that Dallas quarterback Andy Dalton finds his stride with his new team. And the Cowboys still have Ezekiel Elliott, who is more than capable of running through even the best NFL defenses.
The Vikings can’t get overconfident. The team has raised expectations after a terrible start to 2020. Now, they have to keep them there by not having games like they did against the Falcons.
It’s easy to get excited about the Vikings’ recent performances, but if Minnesota loses to a team like Dallas, that might suggest that a late surge to make the playoffs is out of the question. The version of this team that won three consecutive divisional games has to show up.