EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings flew west to the desert last December for a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals, a 38-7 defeat against the Seattle Seahawks still ringing in their ears. The Vikings, who'd absorbed two drubbings in the previous three games from teams they were chasing in the NFC -- the Seahawks and Green Bay Packers -- would play the Thursday night game without defensive tackle Linval Joseph, linebacker Anthony Barr or either of their starting safeties (Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo), in a matchup few gave the Vikings a chance of winning.
Vikings are underdogs vs. Cowboys, but they seem to relish the role
