It's game day! The Dallas Cowboys are ready to face off with the Minnesota Vikings at 3:25 CT at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Cowboys entered Week 11 coming off an overtime loss to the Packers in Week 10. They have yet to lose consecutive games this year, but that record will be put to the test this week as they travel to Minnesota to take on the 8-1 Vikings.
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most complete teams in the NFL, but currently find themselves in third place in the competitive NFC East — making this a must-win game to keep pace in their division.
“This is a playoff game,” said Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott who threw two crushing interceptions against the Packers last Sunday. "You've got a team with one loss, and then us coming in, coming off of one. We know what this means in the division, we know what this means in the NFC.”
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WEEK 10 LOSS AGAINST THE PACKERS
Head coach Mike McCarthy addressed the media following the Cowboys' loss to the Packers and specifically their shortcomings in the run defense after allowing over 200 rushing yards in back-to-back games. While the Cowboys' pass rush has been the bright spot, McCarthy characterized it as a "privilege" if the defensive woes continue against the run.
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Micah Parsons is not exempt from holding himself accountable. As someone who quickly became a leader for the Cowboys' defensive unit, Parsons did not shy away from his potential role either.
"I even took a lot of accountability," said Parsons. "Maybe I even messed up… I'm trying to make a play, and I'm going to hold myself accountable to the extent. So I'll take the blame, I'll do whatever. But somebody like me, you can't expect me to do it again."
When asked if there's a possibility that the Cowboys can't slow down the rushing attack that teams have and will continue to present them, Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence both said it comes down to execution and trust.
"I believe we could have eight players on the field," he said. "But if you do what you're supposed to do you can stop anything. You could have 10 players, but if nobody is doing what they're supposed to be doing and we're not executing, how can you expect to stop it?"
WILL EZEKIEL ELLIOT RETURN IN WEEK 11 AGAINST THE VIKINGS?
The Cowboys expect running back Ezekiel Elliott to make his return from a knee injury.
Elliott has stated all week that he has felt “optimistic about this week” despite being listed as questionable on the injury report. The running back hasn’t played since the Cowboys' win over the Lions on Oct. 23 where he hyper-extended and bruised his knee in the second quarter.
The Cowboys have beaten the Vikings in four of their last five meetings. And they’ve won in Minneapolis two years running, though neither of those games even saw Prescott on the field.
A victory in Minnesota would put the Cowboys at 7-3, with a chance to move to 8-3 if they can win their Thanksgiving game just four days later. That would keep them within striking distance of Philadelphia, with that rematch coming at home on Christmas Eve.
