VIKINGS - COWBOYS MATCHUP

[Purple Power]

I have always liked this matchup. Takes me back to the late 70's when the Vikings and Cowboys were dominate teams in the playoffs. Fran Tarkenton / Bob Lee, Chuck Foreman against Roger Staubach , Tony Dorsett. I have these classic games on dvd, along with many regular games from 1982-2019. There are still 7 games outthere I still want to add to my collection. Looking forward to a big win over the stumbling Cowboys.

[J. Kapp 11]

This game scares me a bit.

The Cowboys were one of the most explosive offensive teams in the league up until Dak Prescott went down. They have firepower with Cooper, Lamb, Gallup Schultz and Zeke. And with Andy Dalton returning this week, they at least won't be inept at quarterback. Zeke has had a poor year, which could mean he's due for a breakout game. I hope it's not this week.

Their defense is pretty bad, no doubt. But they played well against Pittsburgh, and they're coming off their bye.

The Vikings need to keep doing what they've been doing — solid O-line play, establish the run to set up the pass, and play good enough defense to at least take away something from the opponent and make them one-dimensional. But special teams HAVE to improve, period. You can't keep having bad snaps, long returns, blocked punts and penalties. Our once-solid special teams unit has suddenly looked inept to the point that we hold our breath on every play. Marwaan Malouf must fix this, and fix it yesterday.

I think the Vikings will win the game. But I fear it will be closer than any of us want, and when the other team is close, the Vikings are good at breaking our hearts. Need to continue our first-quarter dominance, and we should be fine. These next three games are absolute must-wins. After that, it's road games at Tampa and New Orleans. If we want to sniff the playoffs, we have to take these next three. It starts with Dallas on Sunday.

[Texas Vike]

This game scares me a bit.

...
But special teams HAVE to improve, period. You can't keep having bad snaps, long returns, blocked punts and penalties. Our once-solid special teams unit has suddenly looked inept to the point that we hold our breath on every play. Marwaan Malouf must fix this, and fix it yesterday.

I think the Vikings will win the game. But I fear it will be closer than any of us want, and when the other team is close, the Vikings are good at breaking our hearts.

Ain't that the truth? Dalton scares me a bit. I saw him play a lot when he was at TCU. He's decent. I also caught that Cowboys - Steelers game, and they gave the undefeated Steelers all they could handle and they should have won, with a third string QB no less. We can't look past this game and I totally agree that our ST is on the line this week. If they mess up yet again, it's bound to cost us a game sooner or later.

The prospect of Ezra not playing has me uneasy too. This is going to be high-scoring, I think. It'll be the best test of our D in quite a while. They have fire power and we don't have the DBs to cover them all, I'm afraid. I'm also nervous about Zeke and how our run D will hold up. Should be a good game.

[Bowhunting Viking]

I am really bummed out that Ham has been added to the Covid list. That stinks. Really like the guy and what he brings to the offense.
I too am one that has his butthole pucker every time we do ANYTHING involving our not so special teams.
I watch teams that have a dynamic returner and just wish that we had that luxury. I remember getting so excited during training camp when they were constantly singing the praises of Osborne and his return ability being so great. I was thinking that we finally had someone who could be a momentum changer. Holy crap is that far from the truth. I have seen absolutely zilch from him to deserve any of the early excitment that the narrative on him being a great kick returner caused many if us to have.
I absolutely hate the Cowgirls and am always nervous to play them, just because I can't stand the thought of losing to them.
Let's hope we destroy them Sunday. And wipe that stupid grin off Jeruh's plastic enhanced face

[VikingLord]

I think Dalvin Cook is going to rip the Dallas defense a new one this Sunday.

I don't know if that means the Vikings win the game because the Vikings still have to stop the Dallas offense, but when the Vikings have the ball I think they're going to feed Cook and Cook is going to deliver in a memorable way. He's frustrated after that Bears game. The OL is frustrated too. They're going to take it out on a poor run defense on Sunday. I see Cook ripping off some big gainers and punching it in multiple times.

The three things I'm looking for against the Cowboys will be:

- Defensive secondary play by the Vikings. I'm patiently waiting for these secondary guys to start making some anticipatory plays on the ball and get a few picks. Specifically, the CBs.
- Along those lines I want to see the defensive front 7 continue to limit rushing yards by the Cowboys on early downs. Andy Dalton is a solid QB, but if the Vikings can force the Cowboys into longer 3rd down situations and come after him with mixed pressures, I like their chances to get the Cowboys off the field. The Vikings were good at this during their 3 game win streak, and in my opinion they'll have to continue to be good at it to make it a 4 game win streak.
- Lastly, I want to see the special teams pull it's weight. No more dumb mistakes. No more big returns by the opposing team.

I like the Vikings chances in this one. Records of the two teams has little to do with that. The Cowboys just don't match up well against the strength of the Vikings offense, and defensively I think the Vikings can limit what the Cowboys will want to do.

[Texas Vike]

Ezra has been ruled out.

That hurts.

[Bowhunting Viking]

Ezra has been ruled out.

That hurts.

Hurts big time

[Bowhunting Viking]

Ezra has been ruled out.

That hurts.

Hurts big time

[J. Kapp 11]

C.J. Ham got activated off the Reserve/Covid list.

Good news for us!

[Bowhunting Viking]

C.J. Ham got activated off the Reserve/Covid list.

Good news for us!

And awesome news it is. Now we are gonna be Cook'n Ham and feeding the Dallas D some Ground and Pound for an afternoon snack

[RandyMoss84]

I think it will be a close game, the last 2 Cowboys-Vikings games have been close

[Bowhunting Viking]

Getting close to game time. Sure hope that Cook puts on a RB clinic today and Zeke has NO reason to get up and do his stupid feed me motion that he feels like he has to do 40 times a game. Sucks I have to say that as an Ohio boy about a Buckeye but he has definitely become of my least favorite Buckeyes to play in the NFL.
SKOL VIKES... make Jeruh have his son in law wipe the tears off his glasses today

[RandyMoss84]

Vikings are making Dalton look like Brett Favre, typical

[RandyMoss84]

Another great catch by Adam!

[RandyMoss84]

So Vikings got upset to the terrible Falcons and Cowboys at home, Zimmer needs to be fired