Cowboys vs. Vikings 2016 final score: Dallas outlasts Minnesota’s defense to win 17-15

The Dallas Cowboys overcame a slow start and some mistakes to beat the Vikings in Minnesota 17-15. Dallas improves to 11-1 and remains the top team in the NFC after the Thursday Night Football win.

The Cowboys came into this game with a turnover margin of +3, but both Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott lost fumbles to the aggressive Vikings defense, and the Cowboys had to correct their mistakes.

Prescott’s fumble in particular put the Cowboys defense in a difficult position, but Dallas was able to force a three-and-out against the Vikings. Minnesota kicker Kai Forbath snuck a kick inside the uprights for three with an assist from the goalpost to give the Vikings a 9-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys were able to recover almost immediately. After the Vikings forced Dallas to punt, the Cowboys special teams unit made a heads-up play, forcing an Adam Thielen fumble, which Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber recovered on the Minnesota 8-yard line.

On the next play, the Vikings opted to not cover Dez Bryant, and the Cowboys took a 14-9 lead.

The Vikings defense was characteristically aggressive, but the offense struggled. Sam Bradford left the game just before halftime after suffering what appeared to be a rib injury, but returned in the second half. Bradford finished having completed 32 of 45 passes for 247 yards and one touchdown on the very last drive.

Minnesota struggled on special teams also, particularly punter Jeff Locke. Cordarrelle Patterson was not impressed.

The Vikings drove late in the game, going 65 yards in eight plays to get into the end zone on a Bradford pass to Jerick McKinnon. A false start on the two-point attempt to tie it up moved them back, and though Bradford was hit in the facemask by the Vikings on the attempt, it wasn’t called. Bradford’s pass sailed past the end zone.

Minnesota falls to 6-6 after starting the season 5-0. The Vikings trail the 7-4 Detroit Lions in the NFC North.