Dak Prescott and Cowboys watch playoff hopes all but vanish in 34-26 loss to Vikings

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott speaks to his teammates during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

ARLINGTON, Texas — The last time Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys were on their home field, they had finished a two-game sweep of last season’s Super Bowl teams to spark talk of a rally to a playoff spot.

This time, they watched those postseason hopes all but vanish.

J.J. McCarthy threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score, C.J. Ham had the go-ahead TD on his first carry of the season and the Minnesota Vikings put Dallas on the brink of elimination with a 34-26 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday night.

The Vikings (6-8) won a second consecutive game after they were eliminated from the postseason race before the kickoff. Minnesota was a 14-win playoff qualifier a year ago.

The Cowboys (6-7-1) have to win their three remaining games and hope defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia goes 0-3 in order for Dallas to overtake the Eagles in the NFC East.

It was a second straight loss for Dallas after a three-game winning streak put them over .500 for the only time this season, capped with victories four days apart at AT&T Stadium over the Kansas City Chiefs and the Eagles.

“Definitely surprised, especially (to) get rolling like we did for those few weeks, then watch the confidence just skyrocket,” Prescott said. “Stopping teams, scoring at will, coming back from 21 points (down), a lot of good wins there that, to be in this position just reminds you every play matters. It’s a hard game.”

Both of McCarthy’s TD tosses were to Jalen Nailor, and the quarterback danced star receiver Justin Jefferson’s “Griddy” across the goal line when a nifty bootleg left him all alone on fourth-and-goal at the 1.

Ham’s 1-yard plunge put Minnesota ahead 24-23 late in the third quarter, and Nailor’s second touchdown grab pushed the lead to eight early in the fourth as the Vikings became the spoiler just a few hours after their day was spoiled.

“It’s just a thing to keep building on the rest of the way and leading into next year,” Nailor said. “We just have a one-game mindset no matter what our record is.”

Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals and had a 6-yard run for a first down on a fake to keep alive the drive to Dallas’ first touchdown, but he missed multiple field goals at home for the first time in his three seasons.

Aubrey was wide right from 51 and 59 yards, the latter setting up a short field for a drive that ended in Nailor’s 4-yard catch for a 31-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings forced a turnover on downs when Malik Davis’ catch was originally ruled a first down on fourth-and-7, but replay assist quickly reversed the call.

Aaron Jones ran 4 yards on fourth-and-1, and Will Reichard kicked a clinching 53-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining after Dallas’ unsuccessful challenge that Jones was down before the ball came out on a 16-yard run for another first down.

Aubrey’s fourth field goal got Dallas within eight with 19 seconds remaining, but Josh Oliver recovered the onside kick.

McCarthy was 15 of 24 for 250 yards with an interception, a tipped ball that ended up in the arms of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on his first pass of the game.

While the 2024 first-round pick who won a national championship at Michigan has struggled most of the season, his record as Minnesota’s starter improved to 4-4.

“I think just experience, getting to my eighth game and just feeing more and more comfortable in the pocket, seeing the defenses,” McCarthy said. “I’m just another piece of the puzzle.”

Prescott, the NFL leader in yards passing coming in, was 23 of 38 for 294 yards but was held without a touchdown pass for just the third time this season. Javonte Williams and Malik Davis each had a 1-yard TD run for Dallas.

“We never got to the point where I felt like we were able to just kind of seize momentum,” first-year Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “There wasn’t a momentum-changing play in any regard other than probably the interception early in the game.”

Injuries

Vikings: DL Javon Hargrave exited with a groin injury and was ruled out. ... T Brian O’Neill injured an ankle.

Cowboys: Williams was ruled out in the second half with a concussion. ... LT Nate Thomas, the backup filling in for the inactive Tyler Guyton (ankle), injured a shoulder. ... FB Hunter Luepke was ruled out with a concussion after getting injured covering a kickoff to finish the first half. ... DE Jadeveon Clowney was active after missing one game with a hamstring injury.

Up next

Vikings: Road finale at the New York Giants next Sunday.

Cowboys: Regular-season home finale against the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.

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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press