Vikings Players Reactions to Dallas Loss
Adam New
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The Minnesota Vikings winning streak came to a shuddering halt as they were completely dominated by the Dallas Cowboys from start to finish. The Vikings were always going to lose a game at some point, but the 40-3 thrashing handed to them by the Cowboys was not how I envisioned it going down.
Dallas dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball, making it a thoroughly miserable night for everyone in purple. Here are some Vikings players’ reactions to the Dallas loss.
Vikings Players Reactions
Za’Darius Smith pulled no punches in his assessment; the Vikings got their buttocks kicked. The Vikings have a quick turnaround with a Thanksgiving Day date with the New England Patriots, an opportunity to get this game quickly out of their system. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave much time for the Vikings injuries to heal. Kevin O’Connell has already ruled out Christian Darrisaw. The stud left tackle left the game with a concussion for the second time in two weeks. That is a major concern.
Adam Thielen also proclaimed a butt-kicking, while Kris Boyd expressed his pain regarding what went down on Sunday. For a team that had become used to winning, being embarrassed by the Cowboys the way they were should be a shock to the system. In his postgame press conference, Kirk Cousins said, “We win as a team, and we lose as a team.” The team’s togetherness over the last two months had its first big test. How the coaching staff and players respond will determine how this season plays out from here.
Vikings Need to Bounce Back Immediately
The Vikings need to bounce back with a strong performance on Thursday Night Football. The bright lights of primetime will be shining down, and this team needs to show they aren’t about to crumble. Chandon Sullivan accepts the challenge.
Akayleb Evans had to watch from the sidelines and promised the Vikings would shake back. The Vikings hope to have the rookie back in action against the Patriots.
Until now, Minnesota had managed to keep a very healthy roster. Injuries have started to bite, and against strong opposition, the team was overwhelmed. Dallas was too strong for the Vikings at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. You can point to key players missing for the Vikings, Dalvin Tomlinson on the defensive side and Darrisaw on offense, but the depth players will need to step up the rest of the way. Dallas also targeted Andrew Booth, recognizing Minnesota down to their third-sting cornerback.
There is a lot to learn from this game, and it starts with the coach. A 16-year veteran outcoached the rookie head coach. O’Connell has been quick to say he needs to improve on the back of victories. So, it is no surprise to see him hold his hands up to a bad day at the office.
The quick turnaround can deliver an immediate remedy or confound the misery. The Vikings need a get-back-on-track performance come Thursday night
