Dallas offense vs. Minnesota defense

	COWBOYS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	12
	Pass	17
	Tot. Yds.	16
	Scoring	4
	Int's allowed	8
	Sacks allowed	12
	VIKINGS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	18
	vs. Pass	29
	Total yds. allowed	27
	# of Ints.	4
	# of Sacks	20
	Turnover differential	-9

The Vikings might be getting the Cowboys at exactly the right time. With DE Chris Doleman & Co. finally starting to generate a pass rush, Minnesota should have some success against a struggling offensive line that surrendered five sacks a week ago. The Vikings, who have 11 sacks in the past three games, are starting to feed off the improved play of their offense. This is not an overly talented defense but they are starting to play much more aggressively. DSs Orlando Thomas and Robert Griffith are the two players holding this unit together. Although this defense is still giving up too many big plays, Thomas and Griffith are doing their best to mask some terrible play on the corners.

Look for the Vikings to position Thomas in the deep third of the field in order to prevent WR Rocket Ismail from burning them with the big play. Minnesota will concede the underneath passing game and hope that QB Troy Aikman will make a couple mistakes. That is usually wishful thinking but Aikman could still be feeling the effects of last week's concussion. Coach Chan Gailey has been criticized for his conservative game plan but he has little choice until some of his reserve WRs prove they can make plays.

Dallas' offense has struggled getting on track early in games all season but they must break that trend in front of a hostile Metrodome crowd. RBs Emmitt Smith and Chris Warren will face plenty of stacked looks on Monday that will require a physical game from the offensive line. Minnesota's run defense was atrocious early in last week's game at Denver but some prudent adjustments by defensive coordinator Foge Fazio stopped the bleeding. The Vikings became so obsessed with putting pressure on the quarterback that they were taking too hard of an upfield charge, especially off the edges.

One area in which the Cowboys must improve is in short-yardage situations. Dallas' third down conversion rate on the season is an impressive 42.7 percent but that figure dropped down to just 22 percent (2-of-9) last week. Minnesota is not getting the type of play they need from their linebackers. This unit needs to anticipate more quickly against the run or they will lose many battles against Dallas' mammoth line. In order for the Vikings' LBs to be effective they must use their speed to fill gaps before they are engulfed by the likes of LOG Larry Allen.

The majority of Dallas' defensive problems stem from their inability to stop anyone on first down, which forces them to face too many second-and-short situations. To that point, the Cowboys allowed four yards or more on over half Indianapolis' first down attempts last week.

While it may sound crazy, the Vikings need to attack the perimeter of this defense -- even RDC Deion Sanders. Sanders gave up a big touchdown to Marvin Harrison a week ago and Moss has the same capabilities, as he displayed last season against Dallas on numerous "go" routes up the sideline.

Minnesota's offensive line will be facing a complex blitz scheme this week that is designed around the speed of their linebacker corps. The Vikings have done an excellent job of protecting George against the blitz but he did take a safety and two intentional grounding calls against Denver. Look for the Cowboys to go after George early because they can't afford to expose their sagging coverage too long. The Cowboys' coaching staff is alarmed at how easily their secondary was picked apart last Sunday despite consistent pressure from the guys up front.

Aside from Leroy Hoard's career-long run of 53 yards, the Vikings' ground game was ineffective for the most part. Hoard and Moe Williams offer a solid backfield contrast but the line must do a better job of consistently opening up holes. Dallas' run defense is giving up 93 yards per game but that number has been significantly lower since Sanders returned to the lineup. Deion has been more willing to attack the run than at any time in the past four or five years and it is discouraging teams from running wide outside the tackles. Minnesota's interior line is coming along but they need to be more consistent. Too many individual lapses are killing their running game.