Minnesota Vikings

Week 13 winners and losers: Minnesota Vikings vs Dallas Cowboys

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After a loss to the Cowboys in week 13, the Minnesota Vikings have now lost 6 out of their last 7 games. Here are the winners and losers from their matchup.

All in all, the Minnesota Vikings had a solid outing last night. The offense was spotty, but the defense was fantastic. Forcing 3 fumbles, 2 of which the Vikes recovered, and sacking Dak Prescott 3 times proved how strong Minnesota’s defense can still be.

Sam Bradford had a decent day and proved that he was going to try to go downfield more often. The run game was better than it has been in recent games as the offensive line showed up to play in this matchup.

In the end, though, the Vikings didn’t have enough to pull out a victory against the NFL-leading Dallas Cowboys. Mistakes were the story of the game, for both teams.

With that being said, let’s jump right in. Here are the winners and losers from the week 13 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys.

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) passes under the pressure of Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter (99) in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys win 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Danielle Hunter – WINNER

The Vikings’ defense is no slouch. NFL teams know this by now. The Vikings are known for their excessive pass rush and turnover-forcing abilities. They proved themselves again in Thursday night’s game against the Cowboys.

The leader of this pass rush is new-comer Danielle Hunter.

Hunter leads the team in sacks with 9.5. He had 2 sacks against the Cowboys and hit Dak Prescott 4 times. To add to that, he had a tackle for loss on Ezekiel Elliott late in the game.

The Vikings need to start winning, that much is obvious. With only 4 games remaining, they’re sitting at .500 on the season. That all begins with the pass rush. The pass rush, and Danielle Hunter, did their job and more in the game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber (51) knocks the ball loose from Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) as wide receiver Vince Mayle (16) tackles him on a punt return in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys win 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Thielen – LOSER

It’s not that Adam Thielen played bad last night, because he did quite the opposite. Thielen had a great game against the ‘Boys, but a costly fumble will over-shadow the good game for every Vikings fan.

Thielen had 7 catches for 86 yards and one costly fumble.

In the 4th quarter, the Cowboys were punting to the Vikings with the Vikes leading the game 9-7. Thielen grabbed the punt at the Minnesota 6, returned it for 2 yards and coughed the ball up when it was recovered by Dallas at the Minnesota 9 yard line. This led to the game-changing touchdown by Dez Bryant.

All year long, the Vikings have been one of the best teams in the NFL at special teams. In the week 13 game against the Cowboys, that was not the case. Some horrible punts by Jeff Locke and a big fumble by Adam Thielen led to a horrible special teams day. To find success in the future, the Vikings need to turn around these special teams issues.

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams (83) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Xavier Rhodes – WINNER

Line up against Dez Bryant one-on-one all game long – that’s a task not many cornerbacks would accept with open arms. Xavier Rhodes is the exception. He seems to always love a challenge, and he had another big game in week 13.

Dez Bryant had 4 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Those stats don’t quite show the success that Rhodes had against the Cowboys. Bryant only had two catches for 23 yards when Rhodes was up against him.

Xavier Rhodes has accepted the challenges of guarding each teams’ #1 receiver all season long, and he hasn’t had much of a problem in doing so. In the next 4 games, the Vikings could use continued success from their #1 cornerback to help them find victories.

Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) is hit by Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Cedric Thornton (92) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings – LOSER

It was a rough Thanksgiving for Vikings’ fans. Just a week later, heartbreak strikes again. A 5-0 team is now 6-6, obviously having some serious struggles. With only 4 games remaining and possibly facing a 2-game deficit in the NFC North, the Vikings are almost in a must-win-out situation.