Vikings Do’s and Don’ts: Week 13 vs Dallas

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Apparently the Minnesota Vikings Week 11 victory over the Arizona Cardinals was too good to be true. Here everyone was, all happy and stuff that the Vikings had snapped their four-game losing streak and then they go and drop a stinker in Detroit against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Injuries continue to hamper this team’s chances of doing anything spectacular this season, but that really should not be an excuse. Every team in the league deals with injuries each year and it just comes down to which team is able to deal with them in a better manner.

Speaking of dealing well with injuries this season, absolutely no one envisioned the Dallas Cowboys to come into their matchup with the Vikings this week riding a 10-game win streak.

Like Minnesota, the Cowboys also lost their starting quarterback to an injury before the start of the year and were left scrambling. But instead of pouting and sulking about their injury problems, Dallas has turned 2016 into a season to remember so far.

Perhaps the Vikings should take a few lessons from the resiliency of the Cowboys this year?

DO – Get off to a fast start or else…

Before last week against the Lions, Minnesota was unbeaten this season during games in which they scored a touchdown in the first quarter. Although it did not lead to a win in Detroit, the Vikings’ fast start still allowed them to remain competitive throughout the day.

A touchdown on their first or second drive of the game could prove to be important for a Minnesota team that is desperate for a win. The defense and special teams have come up huge in plenty of moments this year and it is about time the offense steps up and does the same.

DON’T – Call plays that have zero chance for success on third down

On downs in which a team has to gain more than 15 yards to move the chains, it can often be puzzling when a play is called that gains around five yards on a good day. This seemed to be the case for the Vikings’ offense last week agains the Lions as Minnesota struggled to convert on third down.

The longer the Vikings can keep their offense on the field Thursday, the less time the Cowboys will have to use their lethal rushing attack.

DO – Introduce Dak and Zeke to their new friends, Tony and Eric

Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott may go down as the most impressive rookie duo in NFL history but their lack of experience could become an advantage for Minnesota this week.

To slow down Dallas’ rookie phenoms, the Vikings need to utilize two of the best players on their roster in linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. Have Barr spy on Prescott all day and have Kendricks follow Elliott wherever he goes on the field and even into the bathroom if he has to.

Barr and Kendricks should not be afraid to get a bit more physical with their offensive counterparts either. A little frustration for the Cowboys’ rookies could prove to be just what Minnesota needs to get the win Thursday.

DON’T – Let the Cowboys hear themselves think

U.S. Bank Stadium has been bragged about the by local Minnesotans as one of the loudest venues in the country, yet it has not sounded that way recently.

During the Vikings’ first few games, the crowd was so loud that Minnesota’s own offense had to tell them to be quiet. But during the Vikings last two home games, there were times in which people could have probably heard a piece of dust fall on Mike Zimmer’s nose.

Minnesota is going to need every advantage possible on Thursday to get a win and pumping up the crowd to ear-infection levels seems like a no brainer.

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