Dallas Cowboys Hope to Keep Postseason Hopes Alive on Sunday

ARLINGTON, TX — The Dallas Cowboys will return to the field on Sunday, December 14, looking to keep their postseason hopes alive as they host the Minnesota Vikings at AT&T Stadium for a primetime Week 15 matchup. Dallas enters the weekend with only a slim chance to reach the NFC playoffs, but can remain in contention with a victory and assistance from around the league, most notably a Las Vegas Raiders upset of the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the day.

The Cowboys will know the outcome of that game before kickoff, as the matchup against Minnesota is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. on Sunday Night Football. The broadcast will air nationally on NBC and stream on Peacock, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in the booth.

Dallas enters the contest as a 5.5-point favorite, according to Vegas, with the over/under set between 47.5 and 48.5 points depending on the sportsbook. Despite their 6-6-1 record, the Cowboys remain competitive in most matchups. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 376 yards last week in Detroit, though Dallas settled for five field goals from kicker Brandon Aubrey in the 44-30 loss.

"I didn't think we had our best day overall," said head coach Brian Schottenheimer ahead of the primetime matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. "Were we tired — I don't know, maybe. We had to play a lot of games but, at the end of the day, I believe in this group of young men. I believe in the fact that we are an energetic group.

"You can't watch our sidelines and not know that there's juice and energy and guys cheering for the other side of the ball, and things like that. I'm not going to let one game after a tight window of time affect the way I look at it."

The Cowboys will look to bounce back from the loss against a floundering Minnesota Vikings squad. The Vikings managed to pull of their most dominant win of the season against the Washington Commanders last week, but still have several issues plauging the offense.

One big question mark headed into this week will be the health of star wide-out CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys' star wideout had 126 yards receiving against Detroit before he exited the 3rd quarter with a concussion. 

Sunday’s showdown is one of the most consequential games remaining on the Cowboys’ schedule. With only three games left after this week, Dallas faces a narrow margin for error as it attempts to climb back into the playoff picture. A win over the Vikings would keep that possibility alive—and set the stage for an even more dramatic finish in the weeks to come.

Kickoff against the Vikings is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. on Sunday.