Cowboys vs. Vikings 2016 picks and predictions: Dallas is favored, but it’s not unanimous

The Dallas Cowboys will travel to the U.S. Bank Stadium for a Week 13 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas holds the best record in the NFL at 10-1, while the Vikings have lost five of their six last games, leaving them with a 6-5 record.

The game will kick off at 8:25 p.m ET, airing on both NBC and NFL Network. There are live streams available on Twitter and NBC Sports.

In Week 12, Minnesota lost to the Detroit Lions, 16-13. The game was tied late in the fourth quarter until Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford threw a back-breaking interception to Lions cornerback Darius Slay. That led to a 40-yard game-winning field goal by Matt Prater.

Minnesota’s offense is struggling this season. It ranks 25th in passing yards and last in rushing yards. Bradford doesn’t take too many shots down the field and likes to settle for short passes.

On the other hand, Minnesota has one of the best defenses in the league this year. The Vikings play with physicality, and opposing offenses have a hard time gaining yards against that stout unit. Their defense will have to figure out how to stop Dallas’ high-octane attack, though.

The Cowboys can move the chains through the air and on the ground. They are averaging 28.7 points per game, led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Prescott has 2,835 passing yards to go along with 18 touchdowns this season. Elliott leads the NFL in rushing with 1,199 yards and has 11 rushing touchdowns.

If the Vikings want to win this game, Bradford must attack the Cowboys secondary and trust his receivers and tight ends. Defensively, Minnesota has to contain the Dallas rushing attack. The Cowboys’ offensive line is great at carving out space for Elliott, and if a defense can’t stop Elliott, its chances of beating Dallas are slim to none.

The Cowboys’ path to winning is simple: keep feeding Elliott the ball. He can break off long runs and plow over defenders to pick up tough yards. Also, Prescott must continue to play mistake-free football and make plays with his arm and legs.

A majority of the experts believe the Cowboys will win their 11th straight game, but it’s far from unanimous. At CBS Sports, five are going with Dallas and three think the Vikings will win at home. The ESPN panel leans heavily toward the Cowboys, but it’s not a clean sweep.

It’s a similar story here at SB Nation, where are experts favor the Cowboys by a 7-2 margin.