FOOTBALL: Cowboys, Vikings cling to playoff hopes in crucial NFC tilt

The Philadelphia Eagles are singlehandedly keeping the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East race. That's just fine for the Cowboys, who can apply more pressure on the Eagles if they manage to beat the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday night in Arlington, Texas.

Philadelphia (8-5) has lost three consecutive games, while Dallas (6-6-1) had a three-game winning streak before suffering a 44-30 road loss to the Detroit Lions on Dec. 4.

The Cowboys are still a long shot for a wild-card spot, which makes the NFC East title their most viable path to the postseason. Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer remains focused on the task at hand, saying, "At the end of the day, we're focused on beating Minnesota. We're going to do what we gotta do. If you start looking too far ahead, you're going to drive yourself crazy. And I’m not going to do that."

Meanwhile, Minnesota (5-8) faces an even tougher road ahead. After staving off playoff elimination with a dominant 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders last weekend, the Vikings know their path to the playoffs requires winning their final four games and hoping for other teams to collapse down the stretch.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy played a pivotal role in the win, throwing a career-high three touchdown passes. McCarthy completed 16 of 23 attempts for 163 yards, marking his first game without an interception in his seven NFL starts.

"It's definitely reassuring," McCarthy said. "I always knew I had that potential. But I'm looking at it right now, and there's so many ways I could get better. I’m so far from where I want to be. So, it's great to get the win and continue growing."

Despite the victory, McCarthy has struggled to connect with star receiver Justin Jefferson. The four-time Pro Bowler had just two catches for 11 yards against the Commanders, following a disappointing two-reception, four-yard performance in a 26-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Overall, Jefferson has 64 catches for 810 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. These numbers are a stark contrast to the 1,400 or more receiving yards he posted in four of his first five seasons.

"I’ve tried to say this as many times as I possibly can, he has been elite from a leadership standpoint, from a character standpoint, being one of our captains and a guy who drives this organization," said Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell. "No matter what the look on his face has been, no matter what the stats say."

On the other hand, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has been in top form, throwing for 354, 320, and 376 yards in the past three games. Prescott leads the NFL with 3,637 passing yards and is tied for second with 26 passing touchdowns.

The Cowboys have also been getting strong contributions from running back Javonte Williams, who is having a breakout season. Williams has already set career highs with 1,022 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in his first season with the Cowboys.

"Yeah, it's a good milestone," Williams said about surpassing 1,000 yards for the first time in his five-year career. "After all the hard work I put in, reaching it feels like a blessing. But I know I still have work to do. We still have a lot of games left and a lot of football to play."

The injury reports for both teams show a few key players dealing with issues. Minnesota’s left tackle, Christian Darrisaw (knee), and tight end, T.J. Hockenson (shin), were sidelined for practice on Wednesday. Meanwhile, six players were limited, including running back Aaron Jones (shoulder), receiver Jordan Addison (Achilles), and safety Josh Metellus (shoulder).

For Dallas, tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) was the only player who sat out on Wednesday. Receiver CeeDee Lamb (concussion) was limited but still working through the protocol. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) and tight end Jake Ferguson (calf) were among the other six players who were limited.

Historically, the Cowboys have had the upper hand in their recent meetings with the Vikings, winning five of the last six matchups, including a 40-3 blowout victory on the road in 2022.

With both teams jockeying for position in the playoff race, Sunday's showdown will be crucial for both Dallas and Minnesota. The Eagles may be struggling, but the Cowboys are ready to pounce—if they can get the job done. -Field Level Media/Reuters