Sunday, November 22, 2020, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, 4:25 p.m. ET
Cowboys at Vikings Betting Preview: Cowboys (+7/-105), Vikings (-7/-115)
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys (2-7) have endured a miserable season, punctuated by the loss of injured quarterback Dak Prescott (ankle), and many of the franchise’s fans have started to think about a high pick in the draft and how it could bolster the franchise going forward. However, seven games remain in the schedule, and the Cowboys are far from eliminated in an NFC East division race that resembles more of a crawl.
Dallas expects to welcome back quarterback Andy Dalton, who missed the past two games as he went through concussion and COVID-19 protocols. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard provide a strong 1-2 punch on the ground, and wideout CeeDee Lamb (44 receptions) needs three more catches to set the franchise record for a rookie.
The Cowboys must find a way to contain the Vikings’ well-balanced offense, which is led by dynamic running back Dalvin Cook. That could be a tall task unless the offense is able to put together long drives and prevent the Dallas defense from spending most of the game on the field.
Minnesota Vikings
Don’t look now, but the Vikings are heating up and could make a second-half run at the postseason. Minnesota started the season 1-5 with a bevy of problems, but since then the Vikings have reeled off three straight wins and have a chance to climb back to .500 with a win Sunday.
Cook leads the NFL in rushing yards (954) and rushing touchdowns (12), and wide receiver Adam Thielen is tied for the NFL lead with nine touchdown receptions. The weak link in the early going had been quarterback Kirk Cousins, but he turned in a much better performance one week ago as he spearheaded a Monday night victory over the Chicago Bears.
On defense, Minnesota also has shown signs of improvement. The Vikings’ last two games have marked their lowest opponent scoring totals of the season.
Cowboys at Vikings Betting Pick for Week 11
Minnesota is brimming with confidence as it returns home to face an injury-ravaged Cowboys team. Yes, the Vikings will be on short rest, but winning is contagious and the team should find a way to keep its success going against a Dallas team that is half-focused on this season and half-focused on gearing up for 2021.
Cowboys at Vikings Betting Pick: Vikings 27, Cowboys 17
Cowboys at Vikings Best Bet for Week 11
Those who bet on the under in the Vikings-Bears contest came away with a profit last week, and it stands to reason that the under will pay off once again in Week 11. Dalton has missed multiple weeks and never showed rhythm even when he was at full health for Dallas.
Minnesota will rely on its bread-and-butter approach of putting the ball in Cook’s hands and looking for timely throws down the field. This could be another matchup in which the Vikings prioritize a victory over style points.
Cowboys at Vikings Best Bet: UNDER 48 points (-110)
