The Minnesota Vikings will look to continue an unlikely playoff push as they host the Dallas Cowboys. What could happen in a battle of playoff contenders?
When the Minnesota Vikings schedule was released last spring, the Week 11 battle with the Dallas Cowboys was circled on the calendar.
A battle between two playoff contenders figured to be one of the top matchups of the week and with the “Primetime Purple” jerseys being brought out for Minnesota, everything signals that this is a big game between playoff contenders.
It’s just not the way both teams figured to be contending.
The Vikings started the season with a 1-5 record, but they have won three straight games coming out of the bye. While their tour of the NFC North featured three opponents with obvious limitations (run defense, coaching, and offensive ability), Minnesota did their job and found themselves much closer to competing for the final playoff spot in the NFC.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are playoff contenders by virtue of being in a historically bad division. The NFC East has produced meme after meme this season and Dallas has been in the middle of it after the season-ending injury to Dak Prescott.
Still, at 2-7, the Cowboys have a chance to get into the playoffs and Andy Dalton is expected to return under center for them this weekend in Minnesota.
While both teams have a shot of getting into the playoffs, the Vikings have a chance over the next several weeks to establish themselves as legitimate contenders. Let’s make some bold predictions that should help explain which team has the upper hand going into Sunday’s game.