Cowboys’ Playoff Hopes Dwindle After Loss to Vikings
The Cowboys’ playoff aspirations are hanging by a thread after a tough loss to the Vikings on Sunday night, where it seemed like nothing went right for them.
With a 34-26 defeat in Arlington, Texas, their chances of reaching the postseason are now down to just 1 percent. It’s kind of hard to believe, but, according to ESPN, they would need a small miracle to take the NFC East, as they dropped to 6-7-1.
Part of that miracle would depend on the Eagles losing their next three games while the Cowboys win all their remaining matchups. The situation seems daunting.
During the game, Dallas struggled to find their rhythm, scoring only two touchdowns and relying heavily on kicker Brandon Aubrey for points. That strategy worked for a bit, but ultimately fell short.
They converted just 2 of 12 third-down opportunities, which is, well, not great.
When Dak Prescott found himself at the Vikings’ 37-yard line, things fell apart. He was sacked on a crucial third down, and then Aubrey missed a 59-yard field goal attempt with just over three minutes left. It was his second miss of the night; he also failed on a 51-yarder earlier in the game.
The Vikings took advantage of this misstep and quickly scored a touchdown on a five-play, 51-yard drive, extending their lead to 31-23.
Adding to the Cowboys’ woes, they lost Quinnen Williams, a key defensive player, partway through the second half for concussion testing. His absence was felt as Dallas was trying to maintain their lead.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned that Williams, who had managed an interception during the game, will be in concussion protocol this week, which is concerning.
On top of that, Javonte Williams also faced a shoulder injury in the first half. Thankfully, he returned after halftime. But it was a bit of a scare, to be honest.
As for Prescott, the NFL’s leader in passing yards, he completed 23 of 38 attempts for 294 yards, yet he’s now gone three games this season without a touchdown pass, which, you know, isn’t ideal. Teammates Williams and Malik Davis each had short touchdown runs, but it just wasn’t enough in the end.
Aubrey did manage to impress somewhat with a clever fake field goal attempt in the first quarter, although it didn’t quite set the tone the Cowboys hoped for.
