The Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings face off in an intriguing Sunday Night Football battle in Week 8. Will the Cowboys extend their win streak to six games? Or will the Vikings stretch theirs to three? Check out our preview of this game below.
Dak Prescott’s calf is the center of attention right now for the Cowboys. Even though Dallas had a bye in Week 7, which came after the Cowboys scored a 35-29 overtime win over the New England Patriots on the road in Week 6, Prescott is still not 100 percent. If he can’t go, the Cowboys will start Cooper Rush. While that’s not ideal for the Cowboys, they can use a run-heavy attack on Sunday against a Minnesota team that has a leaky rushing defense. The Vikings are 26th in the league with 128.0 rushing yards allowed per game and 29th with opposing teams recording 4.8 yards per carry. Those stats are music to the ears of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, who are the main figures in the Cowboys’ run game that is producing 164.3 rushing yards per game, good for second-best in the league. Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs didn’t have an interception in Week 7 only because it was the Cowboys’ bye, but he’ll be back roaming downfield for a pick against Minnesota.
The Cowboys are 6-0 against the spread in their last six games overall.
Like Dallas, the Vikings are also coming off a bye in Week 7. But unlike Dallas, Minnesota’s quarterback is healthy. Kirk Cousins has become sort of an underrated signal-caller this season, but that’s not stopping him from rolling. On the season, Cousins has 1,796 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against two interceptions. In Minnesota’s 34-28 overtime win on the road over the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, Cousins went 33/48 for 373 passing yards and three touchdowns without an interception. With Cousins under center, the Vikings have managed to become no. 1 through seven weeks in offensive interception rate. They are third with only 0.8 turnovers per game. Minnesota’s pass rush, meanwhile, can flex its muscle anew. After all, the team has the most sacks thus far this season with 21 quarterback takedowns.
The Vikings are 19-6-1 against the spread in their last 26 games as a home underdog.
