Vikings vs Cowboys Sunday Night Football Week 15 Betting Picks | Deadspin.com

Vikings vs Cowboys Sunday Night Football Week 15 Betting Picks | Deadspin.com

Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) speaks with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football this week. The Vikings have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season, posting a 5-8 record thus far. The Cowboys own a 6-6-1 record, flashing at times while struggling at others.

The first key here is that Dallas technically isn’t eliminated from the playoffs yet. It’s highly unlikely they sneak their way in, but it isn’t impossible at the moment. If they lose, that likely closes their case, though, so this is a must-win game for them.

The Vikings have struggled to consistently produce offensively throughout the 2025 season. They rank 21st in the NFL in points (.350) per play, and that number drops to .293 on the road. They’re averaging only 16 points per game on the road this season.

J.J. McCarthy has looked awful in his first season starting, although he is coming off his best game thus far. Overall, Minnesota is averaging 19.0 points per game with McCarthy at quarterback. He’s scored 22+ points in 3 of his 7 games in 2025.

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One of the biggest keys here is that McCarthy hasn’t found any success when pressured this season. He’s averaging only 5.3 yards per attempt with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions when pressured. Granted, the young quarterback hasn’t been good in a clean pocket either, but it’s safer to project the struggles continuing with pressure in his face.

The Cowboys don’t have a good defense, and there isn’t really any way around that. They do get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, though. They currently lead the NFL in pressure rate (32.2%), which is extra impressive because they don’t rank near the top of the league in blitz rate this season.

Dallas made some moves at the trade deadline, and they’re getting healthier on defense. That’s allowed them to perform better than they previously have. Although we’ve seen them struggle against the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions in recent games, they held the Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles to 21 or fewer points in two games before that.

I expect that the Cowboys will continue to struggle against high-level offenses, but that isn’t what they’re facing this week. The Vikings have struggled to find continued success on offense, and I don’t expect McCarthy to find a ton of success against a team that is going to pressure him throughout the night.

Where to Bet: Minnesota Vikings under 21.5 points | -115 at DraftKings Sportsbook

2025 NFL Season Betting Record: 22-31

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Deadspin | Golden Knights look to continue momentum vs. Jets  Apr 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) and left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) celebrate an overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images   The Vegas Golden Knights clinched a Stanley Cup playoff berth for the eighth time in their nine years of existence with a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on Saturday. But don’t look for John Tortorella’s team to take the foot off the pedal in their final two regular-season contests.  Vegas (37-26-17, 91 points), which hosts the Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12, 82 points) on Monday night in Las Vegas, is still in a very tight three-way battle for first place in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks.   The results in the final two games against the Jets and Wednesday against Seattle will play a key role in winning a possible division title and securing home ice for the first round of the playoffs.  “We’re looking to keep going here,” Tortorella said. “Happy that they can say they’re in, but there’s other things to do here in the next couple games … I won’t lie. Nice to say we’re in right now. Now we go back and try to find a way in our division.”  Still, the future looks a lot brighter for the Golden Knights than it did on March 29 when Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy behind the bench. Vegas had won just three of its previous 12 games (3-7-2) and looked lethargic doing it.  That’s changed under Tortorella. The Golden Knights have gone 5-0-1 since the coaching change and claimed seven of a possible eight points on a challenging four-game road trip that began with a 5-1 win at Edmonton and concluded with the overtime win over the Avalanche.  “He’s been fantastic,” Jack Eichel, who scored the OT winner, said of Tortorella. “He brings a ton of energy. He gets us ready to play every night. His enthusiasm, his emotion in the locker room when he’s delivering messages, you can feel it. I think it’s given us a spark.”   Winnipeg comes into the contest with its playoff hopes on life support following an ugly 7-1 home loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The Jets are five points below the playoff line with just three games (and a maximum of six points) remaining.  Winnipeg fell behind 3-1 in the first nine minutes against the Flyers and trailed 5-1 after two periods in what was considered a must-win game going in.  “It’s one of those ones, whether we lost 7-1 or 3-2, those are critical points,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “Now we know the situation we’re in. We pretty much have to pick up every point the rest of the way and hopefully, we can get some help.”  Winnipeg also plays at Utah on Tuesday and finishes the season at home against San Jose on Thursday.  “We know how tight it is and in the situation we’re in, we need points desperately,” defenseman Josh Morrissey said. “No one wants to lose like that. It’s embarrassing in our own arena. At the same time, what are we going to do, cry about it? We’ve got three games left. The score hurts right now as we drive home, but we’ve got to turn the page and keep pushing like we have been.”  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Golden #Knights #continue #momentum #JetsApr 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) and left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) celebrate an overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights clinched a Stanley Cup playoff berth for the eighth time in their nine years of existence with a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on Saturday. But don’t look for John Tortorella’s team to take the foot off the pedal in their final two regular-season contests.

Vegas (37-26-17, 91 points), which hosts the Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12, 82 points) on Monday night in Las Vegas, is still in a very tight three-way battle for first place in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks.

The results in the final two games against the Jets and Wednesday against Seattle will play a key role in winning a possible division title and securing home ice for the first round of the playoffs.

“We’re looking to keep going here,” Tortorella said. “Happy that they can say they’re in, but there’s other things to do here in the next couple games … I won’t lie. Nice to say we’re in right now. Now we go back and try to find a way in our division.”

Still, the future looks a lot brighter for the Golden Knights than it did on March 29 when Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy behind the bench. Vegas had won just three of its previous 12 games (3-7-2) and looked lethargic doing it.

That’s changed under Tortorella. The Golden Knights have gone 5-0-1 since the coaching change and claimed seven of a possible eight points on a challenging four-game road trip that began with a 5-1 win at Edmonton and concluded with the overtime win over the Avalanche.


“He’s been fantastic,” Jack Eichel, who scored the OT winner, said of Tortorella. “He brings a ton of energy. He gets us ready to play every night. His enthusiasm, his emotion in the locker room when he’s delivering messages, you can feel it. I think it’s given us a spark.”

Winnipeg comes into the contest with its playoff hopes on life support following an ugly 7-1 home loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The Jets are five points below the playoff line with just three games (and a maximum of six points) remaining.

Winnipeg fell behind 3-1 in the first nine minutes against the Flyers and trailed 5-1 after two periods in what was considered a must-win game going in.

“It’s one of those ones, whether we lost 7-1 or 3-2, those are critical points,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “Now we know the situation we’re in. We pretty much have to pick up every point the rest of the way and hopefully, we can get some help.”

Winnipeg also plays at Utah on Tuesday and finishes the season at home against San Jose on Thursday.

“We know how tight it is and in the situation we’re in, we need points desperately,” defenseman Josh Morrissey said. “No one wants to lose like that. It’s embarrassing in our own arena. At the same time, what are we going to do, cry about it? We’ve got three games left. The score hurts right now as we drive home, but we’ve got to turn the page and keep pushing like we have been.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Golden #Knights #continue #momentum #Jets">Deadspin | Golden Knights look to continue momentum vs. Jets  Apr 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) and left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) celebrate an overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images   The Vegas Golden Knights clinched a Stanley Cup playoff berth for the eighth time in their nine years of existence with a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on Saturday. But don’t look for John Tortorella’s team to take the foot off the pedal in their final two regular-season contests.  Vegas (37-26-17, 91 points), which hosts the Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12, 82 points) on Monday night in Las Vegas, is still in a very tight three-way battle for first place in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks.   The results in the final two games against the Jets and Wednesday against Seattle will play a key role in winning a possible division title and securing home ice for the first round of the playoffs.  “We’re looking to keep going here,” Tortorella said. “Happy that they can say they’re in, but there’s other things to do here in the next couple games … I won’t lie. Nice to say we’re in right now. Now we go back and try to find a way in our division.”  Still, the future looks a lot brighter for the Golden Knights than it did on March 29 when Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy behind the bench. Vegas had won just three of its previous 12 games (3-7-2) and looked lethargic doing it.  That’s changed under Tortorella. The Golden Knights have gone 5-0-1 since the coaching change and claimed seven of a possible eight points on a challenging four-game road trip that began with a 5-1 win at Edmonton and concluded with the overtime win over the Avalanche.  “He’s been fantastic,” Jack Eichel, who scored the OT winner, said of Tortorella. “He brings a ton of energy. He gets us ready to play every night. His enthusiasm, his emotion in the locker room when he’s delivering messages, you can feel it. I think it’s given us a spark.”   Winnipeg comes into the contest with its playoff hopes on life support following an ugly 7-1 home loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The Jets are five points below the playoff line with just three games (and a maximum of six points) remaining.  Winnipeg fell behind 3-1 in the first nine minutes against the Flyers and trailed 5-1 after two periods in what was considered a must-win game going in.  “It’s one of those ones, whether we lost 7-1 or 3-2, those are critical points,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “Now we know the situation we’re in. We pretty much have to pick up every point the rest of the way and hopefully, we can get some help.”  Winnipeg also plays at Utah on Tuesday and finishes the season at home against San Jose on Thursday.  “We know how tight it is and in the situation we’re in, we need points desperately,” defenseman Josh Morrissey said. “No one wants to lose like that. It’s embarrassing in our own arena. At the same time, what are we going to do, cry about it? We’ve got three games left. The score hurts right now as we drive home, but we’ve got to turn the page and keep pushing like we have been.”  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Golden #Knights #continue #momentum #Jets

Deadspin | Report: Doc Rivers out after three years as Bucks head coach  Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images   Doc Rivers is out as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a Sunday night ESPN report.  Rivers has one year remaining on his  million contract, and the Bucks will pay the remainder of that contract. The club and Rivers and discussing a possible move to the front office for 2026-27, according to sources.  The Bucks stumbled to a 32-50 record this season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.  In parts of three seasons at the helm, Rivers’ teams posted a record of 97-103. He replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024, who was fired after the team got off to a 30-13 start. With Rivers on the bench, Milwaukee finished the campaign with a 17-19 mark and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Indiana Pacers.  Last season, the Bucks went 48-34 in the regular season but fell again to the Pacers in the first round of the postseason. The Pacers went on to reach the NBA Finals.  There was strife between the club and star Giannis Antetokounmpo this season. Antetokounmpo only played in 36 games in 2025-26 but insisted he was healthy enough to compete in games down the stretch of the campaign.   Rivers, 64, will be inducted as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in August.  He just completed his 27th year on an NBA bench and sports a current record of 1194-866. Rivers is sixth in victories on the all-time list and guided the 2007-08 Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship.  The 13-year NBA guard started his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in the 1999-2000 season. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in that first season, posting a 41-41 record.  Rivers coached in Orlando from 1999-2004, before jumping to the Celtics in the 2004-05 season. His tenure in Boston was the longest at nine years (2004-13) and was followed by stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Bucks (2024-26).  The Chicago native began his NBA career in Atlanta and played for the Hawks from 1983-1991. He also competed for the Clippers (1991-92), New York Knicks (1992-95), and completed his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs (1994-96).  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Doc #Rivers #years #Bucks #coachApr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Doc Rivers is out as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a Sunday night ESPN report.

Rivers has one year remaining on his $40 million contract, and the Bucks will pay the remainder of that contract. The club and Rivers and discussing a possible move to the front office for 2026-27, according to sources.

The Bucks stumbled to a 32-50 record this season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

In parts of three seasons at the helm, Rivers’ teams posted a record of 97-103. He replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024, who was fired after the team got off to a 30-13 start. With Rivers on the bench, Milwaukee finished the campaign with a 17-19 mark and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Indiana Pacers.

Last season, the Bucks went 48-34 in the regular season but fell again to the Pacers in the first round of the postseason. The Pacers went on to reach the NBA Finals.


There was strife between the club and star Giannis Antetokounmpo this season. Antetokounmpo only played in 36 games in 2025-26 but insisted he was healthy enough to compete in games down the stretch of the campaign.

Rivers, 64, will be inducted as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in August.

He just completed his 27th year on an NBA bench and sports a current record of 1194-866. Rivers is sixth in victories on the all-time list and guided the 2007-08 Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship.

The 13-year NBA guard started his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in the 1999-2000 season. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in that first season, posting a 41-41 record.

Rivers coached in Orlando from 1999-2004, before jumping to the Celtics in the 2004-05 season. His tenure in Boston was the longest at nine years (2004-13) and was followed by stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Bucks (2024-26).

The Chicago native began his NBA career in Atlanta and played for the Hawks from 1983-1991. He also competed for the Clippers (1991-92), New York Knicks (1992-95), and completed his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs (1994-96).


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Doc #Rivers #years #Bucks #coach">Deadspin | Report: Doc Rivers out after three years as Bucks head coach  Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images   Doc Rivers is out as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a Sunday night ESPN report.  Rivers has one year remaining on his  million contract, and the Bucks will pay the remainder of that contract. The club and Rivers and discussing a possible move to the front office for 2026-27, according to sources.  The Bucks stumbled to a 32-50 record this season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.  In parts of three seasons at the helm, Rivers’ teams posted a record of 97-103. He replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024, who was fired after the team got off to a 30-13 start. With Rivers on the bench, Milwaukee finished the campaign with a 17-19 mark and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Indiana Pacers.  Last season, the Bucks went 48-34 in the regular season but fell again to the Pacers in the first round of the postseason. The Pacers went on to reach the NBA Finals.  There was strife between the club and star Giannis Antetokounmpo this season. Antetokounmpo only played in 36 games in 2025-26 but insisted he was healthy enough to compete in games down the stretch of the campaign.   Rivers, 64, will be inducted as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in August.  He just completed his 27th year on an NBA bench and sports a current record of 1194-866. Rivers is sixth in victories on the all-time list and guided the 2007-08 Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship.  The 13-year NBA guard started his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in the 1999-2000 season. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in that first season, posting a 41-41 record.  Rivers coached in Orlando from 1999-2004, before jumping to the Celtics in the 2004-05 season. His tenure in Boston was the longest at nine years (2004-13) and was followed by stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Bucks (2024-26).  The Chicago native began his NBA career in Atlanta and played for the Hawks from 1983-1991. He also competed for the Clippers (1991-92), New York Knicks (1992-95), and completed his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs (1994-96).  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Doc #Rivers #years #Bucks #coach

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