Dallas outlasts Minnesota’s defense to win, 17-15. The Cowboys had to overcome mistakes, but got the victory, their 11th in a row. A win next week will secure home-field advantage for Dallas for the playoffs.
Of course, the win didn't come without an asterisk either. Referees missed an obvious penalty against Dallas on its game-winning defensive stop. Sam Bradford argued for a penalty when Dallas DL Cedric Thornton hit his facemask on the potential game-tying two-point conversion, and he was right.
The Vikings could've done more to put themselves in a better position before the end of the game, but they didn't. And the missed call at the end left them MAD.
"I'm just going to say it right now: I'm sick and tired of the reffing in this league,'' Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. "I'm sick and tired of it. You've got holding calls all over the place that people don't want to call it. Bradford gets hit in the face at the end of the game, and you don't call it. I'm not laying this loss on reffing, but at some point it's got to be better.''
The good news is that the NFL is finally ready to do something about the referees. Maybe it'll help, maybe it won't.
PETERSON IS BACK, KIND OF: Adrian Peterson managed to catch a pass in a game he isn't playing in, from Dak Prescott. The injured Vikings running back was not Prescott’s intended receiver, but he made a nice catch anyway.
A SEAHAWK WATCHES FROM AFAR: Earl Thomas missed his first NFL game, and watched it at a Buffalo Wild Wings. Last Sunday marked the first time Thomas missed a start in 118 consecutive regular and postseason games.
SAD NEWS: Joe McKnight killed in Louisiana shooting. McKnight was shot and killed Thursday afternoon.
GRONKLESS: Rob Gronkowski will miss eight weeks, and it's probably because of this Earl Thomas hit. The Patriots’ tight end will miss eight weeks after undergoing back surgery. He's the latest victim of the ‘Madden’ curse. That video game cover might bring more bad than good.