After their bye weeks, the Vikings host Dallas Sunday night at U.S. Bank Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:20 p.m.
The game will be televised on NBC with Al Michaels on play-by-play, Cris Collinsworth as analyst and Michele Tafoya on the sideline.
Nearly 50 years ago Dallas visited Minnesota as the Cowboys and Vikings met in the first NFL game played on Christmas Day.
It was an NFC Divisional round game at noon on a Saturday at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.
The Vikings had won the Central Division title with and 11-3 record, while the Cowboys won the East Division with an identical 7-3 mark. Minnesota hosted the game because, at the time, the NFL rotated home field advantage between the divisions.
Dallas used five takeaways in claiming a 20-12 win.
A combined 17 Hall of Fame members were part of the history-making game.
Led by a pair of Hall of Fame coaches – Bud Grant and Tom Landry – and two front office personnel who’ve earned election to the Hall – Jim Finks and Tex Schramm, the game also included 13 Hall of Fame players.
The Vikings players were led by Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Alan Page and Ron Yary.
The Cowboys players were Herb Adderley, Lance Alworth, Mike Ditka, Forrest Gregg, Bob Hayes, Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, and Rayfield Wright.
Mike Clark kicked field goals of 26 and 44 yards for Dallas, sandwiched around a 27-yarder by the Vikings’ Fred Cox and the Cowboys led 6-3 at halftime.
Dallas scored two third-quarter TDs, with Duane Thomas scoring from 13 yards out and Staubach throwing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Hayes to lead 20-3.
The Vikings pulled to within 20-5 when Page sacked Staubach in the end zone for a safety and closed the gap to 20-12 when Gary Cuozzo (who replaced starter Bob Lee) threw a six-yard TD pass to Stu Voigt.
By the way, the second NFL game played on Christmas occurred later the same day, with Kansas City hosting Miami in a 3:00 AFC Divisional Game.
That contest also made history as the Dolphins edged the Chiefs 27-24 in what remains the longest game ever played as the teams played double-overtime with Garo Yepremian’s 37-yard field goal finally ending the game after 82 minutes and 40 seconds of playing time.
A total of 16 Hall of Famers played in that game.
The winners of those Christmas Day games would reach the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys would beat the San Francisco 49ers 14-3 in the NFC Championship Game, while the Dolphins shut out the Baltimore Colts 21-0 for the AFC title.
Dallas beat Miami 24-3 in Super Bowl VI at New Orleans.
Stat of the Week
The Vikings offensive line has produced its lowest sack percentage (3.6%) through the first six games of a season since the stat began being tracked in 1970.
The line has allowed only nine sacks in six games, which is tied for the lowest in franchise history.
Notable
WR Adam Thielen picked up his first 100-plus yard receiving game of the season in the Vikings game at Carolina. It’s the 21st of his career. Randy Moss has the most 100-yard games in team history with 41, followed by Cris Carter (40), Anthony Carter (22) and Thielen.
WR Justin Jefferson has caught at least five passes in nine straight games. That’s third most among active players. Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams has 11 and D.J. Moore of the Carolina Panthers 10.
Dalvin Cook has reached 4,000 career rushing yards in 47 games, the second fewest in team history. Adrian Peterson did it in 39 games from 2007-2009.
The Vikings are tied with the Bears for the most sacks in the league with 21. Chicago has yet to have its bye week.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer began his coaching career with Dallas in 1994. He coached defensive backs through 1999 and was defensive coordinator from 2000-2006.
Scores
The Cowboys lead the series with the Vikings 17-15
09-24-1961: Dallas Cowboys 21, Minnesota Vikings 7
10-08-1961: Dallas Cowboys 28, Minnesota Vikings 0
09-25-1966: Dallas Cowboys 28, Minnesota Vikings 17
10-20-1968: Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 7
10-18-1970: Minnesota Vikings 54, Dallas Cowboys 13
12-25-1971: Dallas Cowboys 20, Minnesota Vikings 12 (NFC Divisional Playoff)
12-30-1973: Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 10 (NFC Championship Game)
10-06-1974: Minnesota Vikings 23, Dallas Cowboys 21
12-28-1975: Dallas Cowbys 17, Minnesota Vikings 14 (NFC Divisional Playoff)
09-18-1977: Dallas Cowboys 16, Minnesota Vikings 10
01-01-1978: Dallas Cowboys 23, Minnesota Vikings 6 (NFC Championship Game)
10-26-1978: Minnesota Vikings 21, Dallas Cowboys 10
10-07-1979: Dallas Cowboys 36, Minnesota Vikings 20
01-03-1983: Minnesota Vikings 31, Dallas Cowboys 27
10-02-1983: Dallas Cowboys 37, Minnesota Vikings 24
11-26-1987: Minnesota Vikings 44, Dallas Cowboys 38 (OT)
11-13-1988: Minnesota Vikings 43, Dallas Cowboys 3
12-12-1993: Dallas Cowboys 37, Minnesota Vikings 20
09-17-1995: Dallas Cowboys 23, Minnesota Vikings 17 (OT)
12-28-1996: Dallas Cowboys 40, Minnesota Vikings 15 (NFC Wild Card Game)
11-26-1998: Minnesota Vikings 46, Dallas Cowboys 36
11-08-1999: Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 17
01-09-2000: Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 10 (NFC Wild Card Game)
11-23-2000: Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 15
09-12-2004: Minnesota Vikings 35, Dallas Cowboys 17
10-21-2007: Dallas Cowboys 24, Minnesota Vikings 14
01-17-2010: Minnesota Vikings 34, Dallas Cowboys 3 (NFC Divisional Playoff)
10-17-2010: Minnesota Vikings 24, Dallas Cowboys 21
11-03-2013: Dallas Cowboys 27, Minnesota Vikings 23
12-01-2016: Dallas Cowboys 17, Minnesota Vikings 15
11-10-2019: Minnesota Vikings 28, Dallas Cowboys 24
11-22-2020: Dallas Cowboys 31, Minnesota Vikings 28
Points scored: Minnesota Vikings 740, Dallas Cowboys 710