EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. –The Cowboys offense has dominated headlines en route to their 10-1 mark, but the Vikings know the Dallas defense can by no means be brushed over.
Vikings Interim Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur said that Dallas' defense plays well together.
"They play extremely hard," Shurmur told Twin Cities media members. "They run to the ball every snap, and I think that's the signature of their defense. They've got good players at every level, but I think the way they play team defense and how hard they play is what makes them unique."
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer, who got his **NFL coaching start in Dallas** more than 20 years ago, said the Cowboys defensive unit may not be flashy, but it deserves a healthy amount of respect.
Zimmer emphasized the physicality and effort on defense by Dallas, noting that the front seven are mobile, and the secondary is effective in coverage and gives up very few big plays to opposing offenses.
He said Sean Lee, who has recorded 105 tackles (66 solo) in 11 games this season, is "very instinctive."
Running back Jerick McKinnon said Lee's performance jumped out at him immediately when he started watching Cowboys game film in preparation for Thursday's matchup.
"He's been playing well in this league for a very long time," McKinnon said. "How he moves, he blitzes, and stuff like that. He's definitely a guy that we're going to have to find a way to block and not let him get in a rhythm and get a lot of tackles."
Zimmer said the Cowboys intentionally design their defense to allow Lee to move around.
"A lot of their deal with their defensive line is to keep [Lee] where he can flow," Zimmer said. "He's instinctive in pass coverage, and I think he does a good job with reading things. And he's got a good physical presence."
The Cowboys currently rank third in the NFL in rush defense, allowing opponents to average only 81.8 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Sam Bradford is keyed in to what they do well.
Bradford said they're most effective at removing a team's run game from the equation, but across the board, the defense is playing well as a group.
"Everything they do, they just do it really well," Bradford said. "They bring a lot of energy out there. They play hard."
Dallas is tied for sixth place in the league with 11 forced fumbles, having recovered six of them. One stat the Cowboys don't particularly shine in, however, is interceptions. They rank 30th with just four picks this season, and none of them were returned for touchdowns.
Although the Cowboys don't have many interceptions, the Vikings said they can't sleep on the secondary.
Wide receiver Adam Thielen said it's a stat they don't even pay much attention to when game planning, because it could be misleading.
"We're just trying to see the corners' techniques and safeties' techniques and see how they play certain routes, certain splits," Thielen said. "I'm not really worried about how many picks they have and all that, because they could just be doing a really good job of breaking up the ball."
Bradford's response echoed that of Thielen, saying the low takeaway number doesn't necessarily make it easier to make deep plays downfield.
He said that making the plays rests in Minnesota's own hands, not in the hands of its opponents.
"I think every team presents the opportunities to go downfield," Bradford said. "I think it's just a matter of getting the right plays dialed up at the right time against the right coverages."
Facing the Dallas defense poses a challenge for the Vikings offense, but it's a challenge they're excited to face head on.
"It's going to be a good test for us," McKinnon said. "We just have to come out firing, find a way to start fast […] and keep that momentum for all four quarters."
