Cowboys–Vikings Rivalry

The Cowboys–Vikings rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys and Vikings have played seven times in the playoffs, making this one of the most played playoff series in league history (the Vikings' most common playoff opponent and the fourth-most for the Cowboys after the 49ers, Rams, and Packers). ''CBS Sports'' named the rivalry among the best in the 1970s.

The Cowboys lead the overall series, 19–15. The two teams have met seven times in the playoffs, with the Cowboys holding a 4–3 record.

Meetings

* In 1975, the Dallas Cowboys traveled to the Twin Cities for a Divisional playoff game. The Vikings looked to have the game wrapped-up with a late lead 14–10. However, Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson in what became known as the Hail Mary game.
*In January 1983, future Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett rushed for an NFL-record 99-yard touchdown in a Monday Night Football game in Minnesota. This occurred despite the Cowboys have only 10 players in the game, as fullback Ron Springs was on the sidelines. The Vikings won the game.
* In 1989, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys were part of the Herschel Walker trade, the largest player trade in NFL history. In this trade, the Vikings received Herschel Walker and three picks from the Cowboys in exchange for eight picks given to the Cowboys. The Vikings felt it was the last piece needed to make a Super Bowl run. Instead, the trade catapulted the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s; the Vikings won none with Walker. It is thus considered one of the worst trades in NFL history.
* The 1996 NFC Wild Card Round saw the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys defeat the Vikings 40–15.
* In 1998, the Minnesota Vikings played the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Randy Moss, a rookie wide receiver who the Cowboys had passed over due to legal issues in college, famously had three touchdowns in a 46–36 thriller.
* In the 1999 playoffs, the Cowboys traveled to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a key wild-card playoff game. The Vikings won 27–10.
* In the 2009 playoffs, Dallas traveled to the Metrodome for the NFC Divisional playoff game with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings defeated the Cowboys 34–3. Late in the game, Cowboys player Keith Brooking was seen arguing with Vikings coaches because he believed the Vikings were running up the score. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips also believed Minnesota's late-game aggression was uncalled for.
* In 2022, the Cowboys travelled to U.S. Bank Stadium and blew out the Vikings 40–3. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked a career-high seven times, and this was the largest road win in Dallas Cowboys' history. The game was so lopsided that CBS Sports switched to a "more competitive" game, this being the Bengals-Steelers, for their national broadcast with five minutes left in the third quarter.

Season-by-season results

, -
, rowspan=2,
, style=", Cowboys
21–7
, Cotton Bowl
, Cowboys
1–0
, rowspan=2, Vikings join the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team.
, -
, style=", Cowboys
28–0
, Metropolitan Stadium
, Cowboys
2–0
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
28–17
, Cotton Bowl
, Cowboys
3–0
,
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
20–7
, Cotton Bowl
, Cowboys
4–0
, Final meeting at Cotton Bowl.
, -

, -
,
, style=", Vikings
54–13
, Metropolitan Stadium
, Cowboys
4–1
, First start in the series for Roger Staubach.
Vikings record their largest victory against the Cowboys with a 41–point differential and score their most points in a game against the Cowboys.
, -
! 1971 playoffs
! style=", Cowboys
20–12
! Metropolitan Stadium
! Cowboys
5–1
! NFC Divisional Round.
Game was played on Christmas Day.
Cowboys go ton to win Super Bowl VI.
, -
! 1973 playoffs
! style=", Vikings
27–10
! Texas Stadium
! Cowboys
5–2
! NFC Championship Game.
First meeting at Texas Stadium.
Vikings go on to lose Super Bowl VIII.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
23–21
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
5–3
, Vikings lose Super Bowl IX.
, -
! 1975 playoffs
! style=", Cowboys
17–14
! Metropolitan Stadium
! Cowboys
6–3
! NFC Divisional Round. Known as the (Hail Mary Game) due to Roger Staubach's post-game comments.
Cowboys go on to lose Super Bowl X.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
16–10(OT)
, Metropolitan Stadium
, Cowboys
7–3
,
, -
! 1977 playoffs
! style=", Cowboys
23–6
! Texas Stadium
! Cowboys
8–3
! NFC Championship Game.
Cowboys go on to win Super Bowl XII.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
21–10
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
8–4
, Cowboys lose Super Bowl XIII.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
36–20
, Metropolitan Stadium
, Cowboys
9–4
, Final meeting at Metropolitan Stadium.
Final start in the series for Roger Staubach.
, -

, -
,
, style=", Vikings
31–27
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
9–5
, First meeting at Metrodome.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
37–24
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
10–5
,
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
44–38(OT)
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
10–6
,
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
43–3
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
10–7
,
, -

, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
37–20
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
11–7
, First start in series for Troy Aikman.
Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVIII.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
23–17(OT)
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
12–7
, Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX.
, -
! 1996 playoffs
! style=", Cowboys
40–15
! Texas Stadium
! Cowboys
13–7
! NFC Wild Card Round.
Cowboys score their most points in a game against the Vikings.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
46–36
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
13–8
, Game was played on Thanksgiving.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
27–17
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
13–9
,
, -
! 1999 playoffs
! style=", Vikings
27–10
! Metrodome
! Cowboys
13–10
! NFC Wild Card Round.
, -

, -
,
, style=", Vikings
27–15
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
13–11
, Game was played on Thanksgiving.
Last start in the series for Troy Aikman.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
35–17
, Metrodome
, Cowboys
13–12
,
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
24–14
, Texas Stadium
, Cowboys
14–12
, Final meeting at Texas Stadium.
, -
! 2009 playoffs
! style=", Vikings
34–3
! Metrodome
! Cowboys
14–13
! NFC Divisional Round.
Final playoff win in Brett Favre's career, as well as his only win against the Cowboys in the playoffs.
, -

, -
,
, style=", Vikings
24–21
, Metrodome
, Tie
14–14
, Final meeting at Metrodome.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
27–23
, AT&T Stadium
, Cowboys
15–14
, First meeting at AT&T Stadium.
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
17–15
, U.S. Bank Stadium
, Cowboys
16–14
, First meeting at U.S. Bank Stadium.
, -
,
, style=", Vikings
28–24
, AT&T Stadium
, Cowboys
16–15
,
, -

, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
31–28
, U.S. Bank Stadium
, Cowboys
17–15
,
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
20–16
, U.S. Bank Stadium
, Cowboys
18–15
,
, -
,
, style=", Cowboys
40–3
, U.S. Bank Stadium
, Cowboys
19–15
, Cowboys record their largest victory against the Vikings with a 37–point differential and tied their most points scored in a game against the Vikings (1996).
, -

, -
, Regular season
, style=",
, Vikings 7–5
, Cowboys 10–5
,
, -
, Postseason
, style=",
,
, Tie 2–2
, NFC Wild Card: 1996, 1999
NFC Divisional: 1971, 1975, 2009
NFC Championship: 1973, 1977
, -
, Regular and postseason
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,
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See also

* List of NFL rivalries
* Hail Mary Pass
* Herschel Walker trade

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowboys-Vikings rivalry
NFL rivalries
Dallas Cowboys rivalries
Minnesota Vikings rivalries