Cowboys Playoff Hopes Fading After Loss 34-26 To Vikings/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Dallas Cowboys suffered a crushing 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, severely damaging their playoff hopes. Quarterback Dak Prescott struggled to regain momentum as the Cowboys dropped their second straight game. Minnesota, already eliminated, played spoiler behind J.J. McCarthy’s standout performance.
Cowboys Playoff Collapse Quick Looks
- Cowboys fall to 6-7-1, near playoff elimination
- Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy throws 2 TDs, runs for another
- Dallas must win out and hope Eagles lose 3 straight
- Brandon Aubrey misses two critical long field goals
- Jalen Nailor scores twice for Minnesota in upset
- Prescott throws no touchdowns for third time this season
- Malik Davis and Javonte Williams score Dallas rushing TDs
- Minnesota improves to 6-8 despite being out of playoff race
- Vikings’ defense seals win with late turnover on downs
- Cowboys face must-win against Chargers in next home game
Cowboys Playoff Hopes Fading After Loss 34-26 To Vikings
Deep Look
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys returned to their home turf Sunday night hoping to rekindle the momentum from their recent victories over the Chiefs and Eagles. Instead, they left AT&T Stadium with their postseason hopes hanging by a thread, following a 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that may have sealed their playoff fate.
Minnesota, already out of playoff contention before kickoff, played the role of spoiler to perfection. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a rookie still finding his footing in the NFL, delivered one of his best performances of the season. The former Michigan standout threw two touchdowns to Jalen Nailor and added a rushing score himself, guiding the Vikings to their second straight win.
With the loss, the Cowboys dropped to 6-7-1 and now face a near-impossible path to the postseason. Dallas must win its final three games and hope the Philadelphia Eagles—defending Super Bowl champions—lose all three of theirs to leapfrog into playoff position.
The defeat marked the Cowboys’ second consecutive loss following a three-game winning streak that had briefly sparked hopes of a late-season rally. For Prescott, the outcome was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift in the NFL.
“Definitely surprised,” Prescott admitted. “We got rolling, the confidence was there, coming back from 21 points down, beating good teams. It just shows every play matters.”
The Cowboys struck first with a trick play—a fake field goal run by kicker Brandon Aubrey for a first down—that set up their opening touchdown. Dallas built a 10-point lead by halftime, but Minnesota roared back in the second half.
C.J. Ham’s 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter gave Minnesota a 24-23 lead. Then, early in the fourth, Nailor’s second TD reception extended the margin to 31-23. A 59-yard missed field goal by Aubrey set up the short field for that pivotal drive, and the Cowboys never recovered.
While Aubrey made four field goals overall, he missed twice from long range—51 and 59 yards—and both proved costly. His second miss gave the Vikings excellent field position, setting up Nailor’s go-ahead touchdown catch.
The Vikings’ defense also made key plays down the stretch. After a fourth-down completion to Malik Davis was initially ruled a first down, a quick replay reversal gave the ball back to Minnesota. Running back Aaron Jones then converted another fourth down, and Will Reichard kicked a clutch 53-yard field goal with just over a minute remaining.
Prescott and the Cowboys did manage a late field goal to cut the lead to eight, but an onside kick was recovered by Minnesota’s Josh Oliver, effectively ending the game.
Prescott finished 23 of 38 for 294 yards but failed to throw a touchdown for only the third time this season. His early interception—deflected and caught by Vikings defensive tackle Quinnen Williams—set the tone for a night filled with missed chances.
For McCarthy, Sunday night was a step forward. He went 15 of 24 for 250 yards with no turnovers, improving to 4-4 as Minnesota’s starter. “Just feeling more comfortable with each game,” he said. “I’m just another piece of the puzzle.”
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, still in his first season at the helm, admitted the team never found a game-changing moment to regain control.
“There wasn’t a momentum-changing play,” he said. “Other than maybe the interception early.”
Javonte Williams and Malik Davis each scored short rushing touchdowns for Dallas, but the offense struggled to maintain consistency. Minnesota controlled the pace and capitalized on every opportunity—exactly what the Cowboys failed to do when it mattered most.
Now, with just three games left, the Cowboys are clinging to slim postseason hopes and facing mounting pressure. Their next test will be at home against the Los Angeles Chargers—another desperate team in the playoff hunt.
Injuries Report
Vikings:
- DL Javon Hargrave (groin) left the game
- T Brian O’Neill exited with an ankle injury
Cowboys:
- RB Javonte Williams (concussion) ruled out after halftime
- LT Nate Thomas (shoulder), starting in place of Tyler Guyton (ankle), left the game
- FB Hunter Luepke (concussion) ruled out after a kickoff injury
- DE Jadeveon Clowney returned after missing one game with a hamstring issue
Upcoming Games
Vikings: Face the New York Giants on the road next Sunday
Cowboys: Host the Los Angeles Chargers in regular-season home finale
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