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2016-2017 Regular Season: Vikings Vanquished, Postseason Present, And Aiming
To Give Big Blue What They Are Due
- December 8, 2016 At 10:07 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- “America’s Team” was 10-1 but – with
more goals to achieve – they were far from done.
The Dallas Cowboys made a visit to the Minnesota Vikings and
conditions initially appeared to their liking.
While the Cowboys entered their second straight Thursday night fight
with their now-common, we-know-better MASH (Major Athletic Surgical
Help) unit at-the-ready . . . the Vikings had their own seemingly
caustic combination of personnel and performance challenges, and it
was anyone’s guess as to whether they would be steady or resemble
confetti.
The Vikings were in turmoil before their season even began – losing
their starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, to a massive
non-contact knee injury that left their entire organization and fan
base barely treading water. Cowboys Nation knows all about losing
THE straw that stirs your team’s drink . . . and without a viable
backup, seeing the season quickly sink. The Vikings’ situation would
worsen when Adrian Peterson pulled up lame during their second game
– with a not so miniscule meniscus injury to his knee – making life
begin to really stink.
The Vikings, however, took the unimaginable step of trading a(n
always precious) first round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in
exchange for fragile and footstep-fearing Sam Bradford – he who
literally fleeced the (then) St. Louis Rams . . . with
inconsistent performances (on a woefully inconsistent team) in
exchange for millions of clams. He was one of a handful of retread
QBs which even teams (with massive amounts of available cap space)
could seemingly least afford to bring on board. Badford, err,
Bradford required (and continues to need) a Goldilocks offense . . .
to feel comfortable enough to regularly deliver yardage-gaining,
point-scoring dents.
And yet, the Vikings – on the strength of their stout defense and
improbably led by their iffy new vet – started the season an
unbelievable 5-0 before their roll began to slow to a
further-injury-plagued 6-5 crawl.
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- Did the Vikings – now minus their starting center and without – have
enough juice to avoid another fall? Beloved head coach Mike Zimmer –
through no fault of his own – only added to player pressure with an
emergency surgery on his eyeball. Talk about an organization that
desperately needed someone to throw it a bone.
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- The Dallas Cowboys (and a
surprisingly LARGE number of their fans) were well-traveled . . .
and had a recent record of remaining righteous road warriors where
others might have unraveled. While the Vikings’ brand new venue –
U.S. Bank Stadium – offered quite the glass-enclosed view, it was
still but a shroud to quite the loud and proud NFL crowd.
(Some) Prognosticators and (all) Dallas haters from around the
league continued to spout plenty of doubt that America’s Team really
does have the right stuff to reach the playoffs ultimately fulfill
their deep postseason dream. The Cowboys – and their dynamic duo of
Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott – were surely due for a late season
leak in their implausible winning streak . . . drinking too much of
the Kool-Aid and ready to finally fall for it.
Would the Cowboys finally freak and succumb to an emotional peak
against a Vikings squad so seemingly flawed?
(Unnecessarily) Tight Fight
The contest began choppy and would end just as sloppy . . . but –
for those who missed the nationally televised game – you had to look
under the hood for the good from a performance that was not quite so
spectacularly lame.
Dak and Company had a surprising number of three-and-outs . . . even
against such a stingy Vikings’ defense known – since Mike Zimmer’s
arrival – for creating a number of offensive droughts and leaving
opponents just hoping for survival.
Both teams spent much of the game exchanging punts – and enduring
the penalties of the usual (and unusual) suspects / nervous nellies
/ mental runts.
Often dogged offensive tackle Doug – for as well as he had been
playing, game in and game out – felt Free to indulge an old favorite
(holding penalty), ruining a fantastic 42-yard gain from Zeke
Elliott, and causing fans to angrily scream and shout.
And on defense, Anthony Hitchens made a beautiful interception in
stride . . . only to see a hands-to-the-face penalty by cornerback
Orlando Scandrick leave an almost certain pick-six nullified.
The Vikings would manage a first quarter field goal . . . which
really was a lot for a dink-and-dunk Minnesota offense with its
misfiring feet to the coal.
Forward progress was hard to come by . . . forcing Dak to join Zeke
in running the ball with timely zone read efforts on the fly. Once
the Vikings committed to more run support, there was no time to
abort, as Dak coolly hit a double-moving Dez in stretched-out-stride
on a 56-yard pass . . . stopping just short of the goal line for the
points Zeke would rush into the end zone to amass.
As a brief aside that should not be allowed to slide, Zeke’s 1-yard
score was his 12th rushing touchdown of the year . . . tying Tony
Dorsett – whom fans hold so dear – for the most rookie rushing
touchdowns in team history. At Zeke’s rate, his year-one
accomplishments could become blistery.
The teams would pelt each other with still more prepubescent
penalties and pop a few more punts before ending 7-3 at
intermission. While Cowboys Nation hoped for a second half
adjustment, both teams continued their sloppy play and – regardless
of the winner – set themselves up for postgame judgement and a cheap
chicken dinner.
While Marinelli’s Men would continue to limit Minnesota to field
goals, the Vikings would take a 9-7 lead in the third quarter.
Following another Dallas three-and-out in the fourth quarter,
something “special” had suddenly occurred. A punt return FUMBLE, in
a word. Cowboys’ special teams maven Vince Mayle applied the perfect
hit without fail . . . knocking the football free from a reelin’
Viking, Adam Thielen. Linebacker Kyle Wilber pounced on the loose
ball and – with no penalty flags to counter the call – the Cowboys
were set up nicely on the Vikings’ 10-yard line, with Minnesota fans
suffering appall.
After a two-yard gain by Zeke (who would go onto collect 86 for the
week), Dak quickly popped to a flanking Dez, who nearly dropped the
eventual 8-yard score. It seemed the Cowboys were finally be primed
for more.
The 65th touchdown catch of Bryant’s career (equaling Michael Irvin
for second most all-time among Dallas receivers) brought extra fan
delight . . . but for the referees, it was yet another play that was
out of (their) sight. While Dez definitely ran into the end zone, he
held the football just outside the pylon . . . and rather than
placing the football at the 1-yard or 1-foot line, the refs –
without review – believed everything was perfectly fine.
Dallas could only muster one more score – with the help of Dan
“Makin’ ‘Em Daily” Bailey – and at 17-9, seemingly shutting the
door.
There was hope Marinelli’s Men would continue (narrowly) vexing the
Vikings – with Sean Lee, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Anthony Hitchens
leading a D that was limiting them at every turn to just three . . .
but Minnesota suddenly got hot and – with limited time on the clock
– had one more late game chance to hit the right spot and tie the
knot.
The Vikings scored a touchdown to bring them within two, and they
would go for the tying conversion before they were through. Bradford
would thankfully succumb to pressure and overthrow his desired
receiver, but another convenient no-call would give fans a
sudden-yet-temporary fever. Just when Cowboys Nation thought another
poorly-timed penalty was in the offing, the zebras forgot their
stripes . . . completely missing a facemask call and practically
ignoring the battered Bradford’s pleading gripes.
While Jason Witten failed to record a single catch – for the first
time in 130 games or since November 2008 – he recovered the Vikings’
onside kick with 25 seconds remaining . . . which was just great.
Minnesota had greater time of possession, more first downs, less
turnovers, fewer penalties, and more yards but - in the very end -
Dallas was, once again, left holding all the cards. To be extremely
clear, there were also multiple non-calls that went the Vikings’
way, but it has just been the Cowboys’ year.
It was an unnecessarily tight fight, but Dallas vanquished the
Vikings 17-15 to end the night.
My Cause My Cleats
The NFL could, should, and maybe would use their brand new “My
Cause, My Cleats” campaign as their norm . . . THE vehicle by which
their brand is “protected” and by which all individual members of
the NFLPA can have their in-game messaging platform. From mugs to
UGGs.
While it is hard to tell if this convenient blending of “brand and
banner” was the extremely late epiphany of league sponsors or the
(deliberately slow) NFL, this approach should – for the foreseeable
future – create myriad sales opportunities and do extremely well.
The “Color Rush” uniforms – in fact, in comparison, and with rare
exception – are practically brightly colored mush. Just ask Los
Angeles Rams head coach, Jeff Fisher . . . who would just as soon
flush them down the bathroom swisher.
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- Still, the Cowboys had both product
types on display against the Vikings on Thursday . . . allowing fans
a chance to take in their team’s fashionable features during their
latest win.
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Postseason Present
The Washington Redskins’ loss brought the Dallas Cowboys one step
closer to becoming the latest NFC East boss. Washington’s early
postseason present triggered a playoff berth of great worth.
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- Gaining early entrance to “The
Tournament” without having to pay the fee . . . is but the first
step along the desired path, as Cowboys Nation would urge and plea.
Garrett’s Gang should still be laser-focused on the “One Game At A
Time” mantra with four regular season games left . . . and each one
of them (currently) requiring a pretty good heft.
Will They Or Won’t They?
Saying the Dallas Cowboys and their fans have been impatiently
waiting for round two of their annual battle with the New York
Giants would be false drama . . . only because neither they nor
anyone else had any earthly idea how the season would unfold
following their game one trauma.
The Cowboys – since then – have witnessed fantastic franchise
history, a near-perfect 10 . . . or 11 if you count their most
recent victory.
That being said – the Cowboys (look and sound like they) have every
intention of heading to MetLife Stadium to avenge their game one
loss, remind everyone in the NFC East who is the new boss (same as
the old boss) . . . and attempt to knock their division rival dead.
A course-corrected Terrance Williams will not be creating a
late-game crime or making the Giants’ day this “time.”
While both teams will be missing personnel – due to new normal late
season injury hell – the players who do show up expect to put on a
more well-rounded performance and do well.
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- Will Garrett’s Gang – particularly
Linehan’s Clan and Marinelli’s Men – be ready with an updated plan
against the only opponent to defeat them this season . . . all the
way back then?
Will Dak be ready to go from passing pocket to zone read option to
trick play concoction?
Will Zeke be ready to tear up some turf like a well-oiled rushing
and pass-catching freak . . . or will he have to remain in the
backfield to block, deliver extra protection for Dak, and clean
someone’s clock?
Will Dez be ready to diversion or be the one to get it done with
some familiar physical coercion?
Will Witten be able to enjoy some downfield receptions to go along
with his backfield protections?
Will Beasley be his sneaky self . . . delivering lumps of Cole like
a holiday elf?
Will Terrance Williams avenge his game one mental plunge by soaking
up Dak’s passes like a sponge?
Will Brice Butler – he of the diminishing opportunity – demonstrate
more consistently good activity . . . rather than resembling his
days with the Raiders in the eyes of so many debaters?
Will the Flintstones – “Fred(rick) And The Blockheads” – be ready to
apply deeper dents (than they did against the Vikings) in a
similarly-equipped defense . . . or will “The Great Wall” get sloppy
against a Steve Spagnuolo-led unit that is sure to have found
Vikings’ elements to copy?
Will Byron Jones, Barry Church, Brandon Carr, and Anthony Brown be
ready to clamp down on what is sure to be an aggressive Eli Manning
aerial attack or will they be chasing the Giants’ receivers all over
town?
Will Sean Lee continue to be a tackling beast . . . successfully
aligning the Dallas defense against a Giants’ offensive line on
which they could feast?
Will the Dallas Cowboys give the New York Giants their just due –
beating them through and through . . . or like in game one, find a
way to lose round two?
We shall see. We always do.
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