The Minnesota Vikings have already played on “Sunday Night Football” this season. You might recall the Week 2 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, that feels like a lifetime ago.

The months between these two games have been a journey for both the Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. Young quarterback J.J. McCarthy has only played in seven of the team’s 13 games, but he’s emerging from his best performance of the season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are fighting to remain in the hunt.

What should be expected when the two face off Sunday night at AT&T Stadium? As always, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis and Jon Krawczynski are here for their weekly preview:

What I’m watching

Lewis: J.J. McCarthy’s decisiveness. Who are we kidding? Nothing matters more Sunday night and over the last four games than McCarthy’s play. Last week was a positive step. He looked less bothered by the speed of the game. That’s all well and good in a home matchup with the Commanders. Can it continue in prime time on national television against the Cowboys? The Dallas defense is not exceptional. But the unit has more talent than Washington’s. Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa can be forces on the interior. Edge rushers Donovan Ezeiruaku, Dante Fowler Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney are capable. McCarthy must remain poised in the pocket, and if he can make quick decisions and place the ball accurately downfield, it would be another big step in the right direction.

Krawczynski: Kevin O’Connell’s approach. The coach made the exact right move to simplify things for McCarthy last week. He could see that the quarterback’s head was spinning and, against his nature, he dialed a lot of his offense back so that McCarthy could focus on making the simple plays. It worked out very well. He has never looked more comfortable. Can O’Connell continue to play it this way? It’s what McCarthy needs, so I fully expect O’Connell to continue with it. But I don’t think it’s the way that he wants to play. Maybe he can start layering a little more complexity as the season winds down. But that will be a gradual process, and building McCarthy’s confidence, and the team’s confidence in him, has to take precedence.

Biggest concerns

Lewis: The game script. It’s impossible to overstate what it means for this Vikings team to play with a lead. The score affects their strategy. When leading, the Vikings can stick to the run game, keeping McCarthy from having to drop back consistently. When leading, it’s harder for the opposing team to stick with the run, and the Minnesota defense can crank up the pressure packages. This makes it more likely to generate turnovers. This was a theme in their three most convincing wins of the season. The Vikings played 54 offensive snaps with a lead against the Commanders, 52 against the Bengals and 40 against the Lions. They’ve only played 36 snaps with a lead in their other 10 games combined. If Dallas can create some distance early in the game, it’ll put the Vikings in a game state they’d prefer not to be in. Scoring early on feels that essential.

Krawczynski: That the Commanders are really as bad as they looked. It was a nice step forward last week for McCarthy and the offense. It was also great for a defense that had so many issues forcing turnovers before Washington rolled out the crimson carpet. Minnesota did what it had to do against a very bad team. But if the Commanders truly are that terrible, the Vikings could be in for a rude awakening Sunday night. Was last week just a blip against a dreadful opponent? Or was the progress that appeared to be on display legitimate? And they are ready for a step up in weight class? We will probably know fairly early against the Cowboys.

Most interesting matchup

Lewis: The Cowboys pass catchers vs. the Vikings secondary. If CeeDee Lamb is available, Minnesota’s defensive backs will be squarely in the crosshairs. Regardless, Byron Murphy Jr., Jay Ward, Isaiah Rodgers, Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith are going to have their work cut out for them. George Pickens is a problem. He has elite burst and can win both in the short areas and deep down the field. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of what Brian Flores’ defense is up against is the Cowboys’ use of slant passes. Pickens leads the NFL in targets (27), receptions (20) and receiving yards (300) on slant routes this year, according to Next Gen Stats. Providing extra bodies to take away Pickens is harder when Lamb is on the field. Focus on taking away both, and that presents an opportunity for the Dallas run game, designed well by offensive coordinator Klayton Adams.

Krawczynski: Andrew Van Ginkel vs. Dak Prescott. Is there a more thrilling play in the league right now than watching Van Ginkel recognize a screen pass or a quick swing out to the flat, then leap into its path for an interception? He did it again last week, and it’s truly unique to watch it unfold. Prescott is far more experienced than Jayden Daniels, so the cat-and-mouse game will be much more challenging for Van Ginkel to pull off. But he is one of the few players on this defense who has shown the ability to make game-changing plays. Another one like that could swing the game in the Vikings’ favor.

When will they learn? @AndrewVanGinkel #ProBowlVote

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/NGoANCAMYg

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 7, 2025

Most interesting overall storyline

Lewis: Can the Vikings finish the season in a way that doesn’t leave such a sour taste? It’s been a rough go for much of 2025. But the Vikings have a chance over these last five games to prove they’re on the upswing. Going into AT&T Stadium and winning with another positive performance from McCarthy would certainly make a statement. This is a winnable game, as are some others. Next week in New York against the Giants? Doable. The following week on Christmas Day against the Lions? The Vikings already beat them this season. Week 18’s matchup with the Packers will be the toughest test remaining, if Green Bay is committed to playing its starters for playoff seeding. The Vikings can turn the tide on fans’ feelings with another win Sunday night.

Krawczynski: Alec, my man. Let’s take a deep breath and start a little smaller. Justin Jefferson hasn’t scored a touchdown since Nov. 2. He has two all season after scoring 10 times last year. Step 1 on the to-do list for the offense was getting McCarthy to be more comfortable in the huddle and in the pocket. Step 2 should be finding a way to make one of the best players in the NFL look like it again. Right now, defending the Vikings looks very similar to the way NBA teams are defending Jefferson’s buddy, Anthony Edwards. Double- and triple-teams are commonplace. They are daring anyone other than Jefferson to beat them. The Wolves have found ways for Edwards to go off, even in the face of those schemes. The Vikings need to do the same for Jefferson. He is too talented to be a decoy on every play. A national television game against America’s Team might be the perfect time to reintroduce Jets to the masses.

How these teams match up from a data standpoint

Here is where the two teams rank in 2025 in the following categories, using explosive play rate for explosiveness, success rate for efficiency and DVOA’s strength of schedule:

Vikings

  

Cowboys

  

Off turnovers

32nd

23rd

Def turnovers

20th

27th

Off explosiveness

15th

12th

Def explosiveness

11th

30th

Off efficiency

23rd

4th

Def efficiency

17th

31st

Strength of schedule

13th

20th

Predictions

Lewis: Cowboys 23, Vikings 17. Do I think the Vikings can win? Absolutely. This is mostly a question of sustainability from McCarthy. Doing it against the Commanders is one thing. Following it up with a consistent showing here would go a long way toward establishing more faith. Dallas’ offense just seems too formidable, even against a Vikings defense that has been quite good of late.

Krawczynski: Vikings 21, Cowboys 20. Am I taking crazy pills? Maybe. But look at those six Cowboys wins. With the Chiefs struggling to the degree they have, the win over the angst-ridden Eagles might be the only one that can qualify as a good one. And the Vikings defense has low-key been playing better and better over the last month. If McCarthy can avoid the backbreaking turnovers he had in Seattle, they’ll be in business.