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MINNEAPOLIS -- You knew it would eventually happen. The offense would struggle and the defense would have to pick them up. We just didn't know if the defense would get the job done. They did Thursday night.
Here are my thoughts on the Cowboys' 11th consecutive win.
1. It wasn't pretty
The numbers weren't as impressive as they've been, but it was another strong showing for the rookies. The offense struggled early. Didn't score in the first quarter. But Dak Prescott didn't panic. He calmly made key plays and finished with another passer rating over 100. Ezekiel Elliott only had 39 yards at half. He finished with 86 and a touchdown. His second half was highlighted by a 30-yard run late in the fourth quarter that allowed Dallas to get into field-goal range.
2. Biggest play of the first half
Dak Prescott's 14-yard run on third and 13 midway through the second quarter. The Cowboys needed a big play to jump start a stalled offense. Prescott delivered. Four plays later, Prescott hit Dez Bryant on a 56-yard toss. Elliott scored a one-yard run on the next play. Bryant was strong all night against one of the league's top corners, Xavier Rhodes. Dez's eight-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter tied him with Michael Irvin for career TD catches in Cowboys history with 65.
3. Defense deserves a lot of credit
With the offense not doing much through three quarters, the defense came up big allowing only six points. They still struggled to come up with a takeaway. They didn't force one all of last month. Byron Jones nearly had his first INT early in the second quarter. Anthony Hitchens should've had another one a little later, but Orlando Scandrick's illegal hands to the face wiped it out. Reserve linebacker Kyle Wilber, however, picked the group up on special teams, forcing a fumble early in the fourth quarter. It was easily the biggest play of the second half. Rookie corner Anthony Brown came up big again with several key plays in the secondary. The defense doesn't get much credit, but they deserve a lot for the way they played Thursday.
4. Under pressure
The Cowboys have struggled to get much pressure recently. They were much better Thursday night. Rookie defensive tackle Maliek Collins came up big with a pair of big plays before halftime. The Cowboys' starting three-technique tackle forced Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford out of the game with a shot to his ribs with 58 seconds left in the second quarter. Bradford returned to start the second half. Two plays after delivering that shot, Collins used a spin move to sack quarterback Shaun Hill on third down. It was Collins' third sack of the season. He had two against Cleveland in Week 9. Collins, a third-round pick, has started 10 games this season.
5. Home-field advantage
There are similarities between U.S. Bank Stadium and AT&T Stadium. They were designed by the same company. The building in Arlington is more impressive. It's second to none. It can hold over 100,000 fans. The one in Minneapolis is better for football. It's much louder. And it gets the job done with around 66,000. There was a significant home-field advantage Thursday night. Better than the Cowboys saw in Green Bay. Better than Pittsburgh. Can't say I was expecting that.
