Cowboys crush Vikings' 7-game win streak with 40-3 romp

MINNEAPOLIS – The first drive of the game set the stage: A Cowboys sack of Kirk Cousins. It was a common occurrence in the Vikings' blowout 40-3 loss to Dallas on Sunday.

"I don't know. I guess they just came to play today," said Vikings guard Ed Ingram. "Seemed like everything was going right for them. I applaud their team because they're a good team, as well."

Defensive Player of the Year candidate Micah Parsons had two early sacks for the Cowboys.

The Vikings lost top-tier left tackle Christian Darrisaw for most of the game, after he suffered his second concussion in two weeks. He was replaced by Blake Brandel.

"All credit due to them, and yeah, I mean, it was a tough game," said Brandel. "We didn't play good enough. I didn't play good enough, and just on to the next game."

"There would be some interior penetration and then trying to maybe help interior-wise, make sure the slide's going the right way, then there was some issues on the perimeter, as well," said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell after the game. "And some of those sacks did not come on third down, some of them came, you know, on play passes where you're trying to protect and try to give Justin [Jefferson] and Adam [Thielen] a chance to work down the field."

Dallas entered the day leading the league in sacks and added seven more; six of them coming on just a four-man rush.

"When you can rush four, it's effective, certainly," said the oft-sacked Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins. "We want to be in a place where we're not having to drop back too much. And you certainly need to be, you know, in a game where you're right there and you're not behind where you have to drop back."

Minnesota never led and only rushed for 73 yards. The offensive line was exposed by the Cowboys.

"They got a good front and we just didn't, you know, step up to what we needed to do today," said Brandel.

The Vikings have a quick turnaround, hosting the Patriots on Thanksgiving at U.S. Bank Stadium.

In the fourth quarter, Cowboys kicker Brett Maher scored another field goal, giving his team a 37-point lead. He was 4 for 4 for FGs Sunday.

This was the Vikings' widest margin of defeat at home in 42 years, when they lost by 35 points against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1980.

Also, can you remember the last time the Vikings didn't score a touchdown in a game? We can, sadly. It was back in 2016, when they lost 34-6 at home to the Indianapolis Colts.

Dalvin Cook, one of the strongest parts of the Vikings offense this year, has been an MVP for several games and a Pro Bowl performer. WCCO's Mike Max sat down with him ahead of Sunday's game against the Cowboys to talk football, and about the man he lost who was his ultimate coach.   

It was quite an ugly third quarter for the Vikings. Here are the "highlights":

* LT Christian Darrisaw is officially out of the rest of the game, and he likely won't play in the Vikings' Thanksgiving Day game against the New England Patriots.

* RB Tony Pollard scored a 68-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys a 27-point lead.

* Cowboys DE Dante Fowler then sacked Vikings QB Kirk Cousins.

* RB Ezekiah Elliot scored his second touchdown of the game, with the Cowboys up 37-3. Many Vikings fans started to head for the exits.  

* Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse sacked Cousins, followed by Dorance Armstrong (his second sack of the game).

* This marks the first game in Cousins' career that he's been sacked seven times.  

LT Christian Darrisaw is officially out of the rest of the game, and he likely won't play in the Vikings' Thanksgiving Day game against the New England Patriots.

* For the second-straight game, LT Christian Darrisaw left the field to be evaluated for a concussion.

* Brett Maher scored his second field goal of the game, this one 53 yards, to put the Cowboys up 10 points over the Vikings.  

* QB Kirk Cousins threw a long pass to TE T.J Hockenson, who stepped out of bounds soon after catching it.

* RB Tony Pollard made the biggest play of the game so far, taking a screen pass for a 30-yard touchdown, giving the Cowboys a 17-point lead.  

* With Darrisaw out of the game, LB Michah Parsons was able to overpower Vikings OT Blake Brandel, leading to a sack of Cousins - who is 7 of 15 for 69 yards.

* Cowboys QB Dak Prescott threw a beauty to CeeDee Lamb to get them into field-goal range, leading to a 60-yard field goal from Maher.

* Lamb's catch was disputed, then officials ruled it was clean, but Maher's field goal was recalled. He then kicked it successfully again, with the Cowboys 20 points ahead going into halftime.  

Minnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw has left the game to be evaluated for a concussion. He also suffered one last week against the Buffalo Bills.

Brett Maher scored the first field goal of the game for Dallas, which was countered by Minnesota's Greg Joseph to tie it up. 

Ezekiah Elliot's touchdown then gave the Cowboys a 10-3 lead over the Vikings after the first quarter.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is making the rounds before Sunday's game, talking to fans and signing autographs.

The Vikings have announced six inactive players for Sunday's matchup:

• Cornerback Akayleb Evans
• Outside linebacker Luiji Vilain
• Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson
• Defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo
• Offensive tackle Vederian Lowe

• Offensive lineman Chris Reed

The Cowboys also announced six inactives, including former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr. The other inactive Cowboys are:

• Quarterback Will Grier
• Cornerback Nahshon Wright
• Safety Markquese Bell 
• Defensive end Tarell Basham
• Defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna

CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson shares her thoughts about Sunday's matchup.

After two straight road games, the Vikings hope returning home to U.S. Bank Stadium will give them an advantage on Sunday.