Page 20 - aruba-today-20161203

A20 SPORTS
Saturday 3 december 2016

NFL Roundup

Cowboys hold on against

Vikings for 11th straight win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Dez “I’m sick and tired of it. work offensive line that in-
Bryant sashayed through You’ve got holding calls all cluded center Nick Easton
the Dallas locker room with over the place that people making his first career start
an unmistakable swagger don’t want to call. Brad- in place of the injured Joe
and had nothing but good ford gets hit in the face at Berger (concussion), Brad-
things to say about his ad- the end of the game and ford was under pressure all
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott fumbles as he is hit
by Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison (96) during versary this time around. you don’t call it. I’m not lay- night long from a Cowboys
the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, It was a stark change from ing this loss on reffing, but defense that has often
in Minneapolis. The Vikings recovered the ball. a week ago, when he at some point it’s got to get struggled in that area this
Associated Press sparred with Washington better.” season.
cornerback Josh Norman Bradford completed 32 Bradford was sacked three
on Thanksgiving. The trash of 45 passes for 247 yards, times and had to leave the
talking Dez and the po- Danielle Hunter had two game on the final drive of
lite Dez share one thing in sacks and Kai Forbath the second quarter after
common: they both win. kicked three field goals for taking a helmet from Ma-
Bryant caught four passes Minnesota, which has last liek Collins to his rib cage.
for 84 yards and the go- six of the last seven games After getting some medical
ahead touchdownin the after a 5-0 start. attention during halftime,
fourth quarter, helping the Vikings special teams coor- Bradford was able to re-
Cowboys win their 11th dinator Mike Priefer was el- main in the game.
straight game with a 17-15 evated to head coach for “I had to take a deep
victory over the Minnesota the game and it remains breath,” he said. “After
Vikings on Thursday night. unclear how long Zimmer that they were fine.”
In a hard-fought battle with will be out. Minnesota’s The bad news on the injury
cornerback Xavier Rhodes, third-ranked defense did front for the Vikings came
Bryant’s 56-yard catch set their fiery leader proud, for safety Harrison Smith,
up Ezekiel Elliott’s 1-yard holding the explosive Cow- who left the locker room
TD in the first half. Bryant boys offense to season lows on crutches with a walk-
caught an 8-yard scoring in points, yards (264) and ing boot on his left foot. He
pass in the fourth quarter first downs (13). has been fighting through
after a fumbled punt by “It’s not the best game we an ankle injury over the last
Minnesota’s Adam Thielen. played, but we showed several weeks.
“I knew coming into this up when we needed to ZIMMER TRIBUTE
game it was going to be and made the plays at the Before the game, the Vi-
a tough match and I had end,” Elliott said. kings played a short video
to be on my ‘A’ game,” KEY PLAY of Zimmer addressing the
Bryant said. “Because if With Dallas’ offense doing team during a practice.
I wasn’t, he can get the nothing, Kyle Wilber made Zimmer’s primary message:
best of you. We had a the play of the game when “Do your job.”
good battle. We shared he punched the ball out of That has been a common
our thoughts throughout Thielen’s hand, then pulled theme during his three sea-
the game. It was good the ball away as the two sons in Minnesota, and the
thoughts. It’s nice playing rolled to the turf. Officials organization likely wanted
games like that.” initially did not catch the the players to hear it one
Elliott rushed for 86 yards on fumble, but a heads-up more time before taking
20 carries for the Cowboys challenge by Jason Gar- the field. After the video, a
(11-1). They have the lon- rett got the call overturned picture of Zimmer was put
gest single-season winning and Prescott found Bryant on the big screen with a
streak in franchise history. on the next play. “Get Well Soon” message
Sam Bradford threw a CATCHLESS IN MINNEAPO- attached. “They fought to
3-yard touchdown pass to LIS the bitter end, and I know
Jerick McKinnon with 25 Cowboys tight end Jason coach Zimmer would’ve
seconds to play, but the Witten did not catch a been very, very proud of
2-point conversion pass pass, snapping a team-re- them,” Priefer said.
failed. Bradford argued cord streak of 130 straight UP NEXT
for a penalty after he was games with a reception Cowboys: Dallas heads
hit in the face by a de- dating to 2008. to New York on Dec. 11 to
fender, but there was no A TD TO TIE TD face the Giants, the only
call for the Vikings (6-6). Elliott’s 1-yard plunge in the team to have beaten the
Minnesota played without second quarter gave Dal- Cowboys this season.
coach Mike Zimmer after las a 7-3 lead. It was his 12th Vikings: Minnesota will trav-
he had emergency eye touchdown rushing this el to Jacksonville on Dec.
surgery Wednesday night. season, tying him with Tony 11 to face the Jaguars,
“I’m sick and tired of the Dorsett for most by a rookie hoping the extra time off
reffing in this league right in Cowboys history. will be enough for Zimmer
now,” Vikings defensive BRADFORD UNDER SEIGE to recover and return to
end Brian Robison said. Playing behind a patch- the sideline.q