Cowboys hold off Vikings for 11th straight win

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings almost pulled off a win for Zim.

Instead, the Dallas Cowboys’ streak lives on.

A sterling defensive effort in the absence of Vikings coach and normal play-caller Mike Zimmer, who was recovering from emergency eye surgery, was undone with an Adam Thielen fumble on a punt return that turned the tide and a controversial failed two-point conversion that allowed the Cowboys to escape with 17-15 win Thursday night.

It was the 11th victory in a row for Dallas, which trailed 9-7 early in the fourth quarter when the Vikings defense got its latest stop, forcing a Cowboys punt.

Officials ruled Thielen was down by contact on the return. But Cowboys coach Jason Garrett challenged, the call was overturned, Dallas took over at the Minnesota 8 and Dez Bryant took a quick-hit pass from Dak Prescott into the end zone on the next play to regain the lead.

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The Vikings defense got one more stop with 2:20 to go, thanks to a successful challenge by interim coach Mike Priefer on a Prescott slide that was short of the first down and a botched exchange, and Minnesota’s offense drove with no timeouts for its first touchdown – a 3-yard touchdown to Jerick McKinnon.

But right tackle Jeremiah Sirles took a false start on the two-point conversion, pushing back the try to the 7. Then, Bradford’s pass sailed high out of the end zone, the result of Cedric Thornton’s left hand slamming into Bradford’s helmet, leaving the quarterback looking for a flag that didn’t come.

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Now the Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss or tie or a Washington Redskins loss this weekend, while Minnesota – losers of six in its last seven games – may need to run the table to reach the postseason after a 5-0 start.

The Vikings showed they could hang with the NFL’s hottest team, but that was mainly because of a defense that forced two turnovers and held Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and company in check most of the night, save for a 56-yard strike to Dez Bryant on a double move that set up the first half’s only touchdown.

Bradford took a beating, at one point departing after getting sandwiched by two rushers. The line-challenged offense failed to score a touchdown. And Priefer’s special teams unit had a rocky night – not just Thielen’s gaffe, but several awful punts by Jeff Locke that changed field position.

The next question for the Vikings is, when does Zimmer return? General manager Rick Spielman said everything would be re-evaluated Friday – a day that would’ve been a whole lot different around team headquarters had they pulled off the upset.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.

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