The Vikings offense awakened in the second half against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, scoring on back-to-back drives in the third and fourth quarters to take a three-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
Then came Tony Pollard.
The Cowboys backup running back broke free for a 42-yard touchdown scamper that kept Dallas competitive the rest of the game, ultimately churning down the clock on an 11-play game-winning drive to seal a 31-28 victory on the road.
Pollard went to the end zone nearly untouched as reserve cornerback Chris Jones, who was signed in Week 7, tagged Pollard instead of attempting a tackle — a decision Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan pegged as a pivotal for the Vikings’ season.
“If the Vikings miss the playoffs by one game, the enduring image from their 2020 season will not be Dalvin Cook speeding past tacklers, Adam Thielen one-handing touchdowns or Justin Jefferson dancing in the end zone,” Souhan wrote. “The defining moment for this team will be a reserve defensive back playing matador on a long touchdown run in a game the Vikings probably had to win.”
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Journeyman Jones Made a Bad ‘Business Decision’
Jones, who has played on three NFL teams in as many years of his career, made what football players called a “business decision,” which is a momentary lapse where a player considers health over making contact, made famous by former Cowboys star Deion Sanders.
Jones is far from Sanders’ status in the league and could find himself seeking a new team by 2021 if he does not prove his worth the rest of the season.
Souhan did not let Jones off lightly. Here are a few excerpts of the rest of his column:
A franchise that will never forget Drew Pearson’s “Push Off’’ now can try to forget Jones’ “Back Off.’’
On Pollard’s touchdown run, he took a handoff to the right, then burst upfield. Jones was playing outside and was the only Viking who had a chance to stop him. Jones was unblocked but would not have made the stop if this had been flag football.
Maybe Jones has a good excuse for avoiding contact. Maybe he’s hurt. Maybe he abhors violence. We don’t know, and we may never know.
What we do know is this: There are two things you shouldn’t do if you want to make the NFL playoffs — start 1-5, and ignore the “tackle” part of “tackle football.’’
Jones Will Likely Stay in Cornerback Rotation
After signing with the Vikings in Week 7, Jones started against the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears before being relegated to the second string upon rookie Cameron Dantzler’s return from a concussion injury.
He played a season-low 47 percent of snaps against the Cowboys, but until the Vikings’ other cornerbacks in third-year veterans Mike Hughes and Holton Hill and second-year corner Mark Fields II return from injury, Jones will likely remain in the mix.
Considering several special teams blunders second-year cornerback Kris Boyd made on Sunday, Jones’ seat as the third corner likely will not be challenged.
Hughes, Hill and Fields are out indefinitely on the injured reserve list. Hughes suffered a neck injury that is potentially season-ending season, meanwhile, Hill has been hampered with a foot injury and Fields suffered a punctured lung against the Green Bay Packers.
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Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.
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Columnist Grills Vikings CB for ‘Playing Matador’ on Deciding TD vs. Cowboys