America's Blog: Can Dallas Move To 11-1 AND Save The NFL's Ratings At The Same Time? (Spoiler Alert: Yes.)

A big Thanksgiving day win over those vile R-Words in Washington is behind us. But just one week later, our conquering hero Cowboys will go into the wilderness of Minnesota to take on the purple crush of the Vikings. Can America’s Team rise to the occasion against one of the toughest defenses they’ll face all year? This…is America’s Blog.

America’s Breaking News of The Week

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer — who singlehandedly has steered this Vikings ship amidst resigning offensive coordinators, season ending QB injuries, and middling talent in some key areas — missing the game tonight for eye surgery may not be as huge as you’d think given that he’s been available for gameplanning all week. But any little advantage you can get in a game that feels a little trap-y after a big Thanksgiving win over a rival you’ve got to gladly take. Sorry Pirate Mike. Preview and pick for tonight’s game at the end of the blog.

America’s Solution to the NFL’s Sagging Ratings

There’s one obvious answer to news that the NFL’s ratings are down for a lot of games across the board this season: More Cowboys games. The Thanksgiving rating was an all-timer:

The 31-26 victory over the rival Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving Day was a television ratings bonanza. Fox Sports said Thursday’s game averaged 35.1 million viewers, more than any regular-season game in the network’s history, which dates to 1994. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted that it was the most-watched regular-season game for any network since the 1995 Thanksgiving Day game between the 9-2 Cowboys and 10-1 Kansas City Chiefs, which drew 35.7 million viewers.

The Cowboys won that game and would eventually beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX for the Cowboys’ third championship in four seasons.

Helping the weaker rated teams and bringing some quality historical juju to this year’s possible Super Bowl run? Giving is its own reward.

America’s Feel Good Story of the Week

Ezekiel Elliott is wearing cleats of his dog Ace to support dog adoption:

And it’s apparently a cause near and dear to his heart:

In October, Elliott also sponsored a dog adoption event in Dallas where the adoption fees were just $21 where 48 pets found new homes. He even surprised the new pet owners when they came back to pick up their dogs.

Are you kidding me with this pic:

Not gonna lie: Really need any other pressing legal issues Zeke has to not be true because I’d prefer to love him unconditionally for both his dog bro shit and smashing through lines of scrimmage.

America’s Tony Romo Watch

Safely on the sidelines, adorable as always.

America’s Color Rush Unis

Fire emoji^2. The good guys wear white.

The Vikings look like ‘Member Berries drenched in piss.

America’s Injury Watch

Justin Wilcox and Justin Durant will be out: Bad. Barry Church is likely to be back: Good! Overall a wash on a defense that gave up 450 yards to Kirk Cousins anyways so who the fuck cares. Keep them under 50, that should be the defense’s mantra.

America’s Official Pick: Dallas Cowboys (-3) at Minnesota Vikings

Right off the bat one thing leaps off the page: Just a week after the Cowboys got shredded by Kirk Cousins but in particular by Jordan Reed with 10 catches for 95 yards and two scores the Cowboys will face another TE-heavy offense led by Sam Bradford and Kyle Rudolph. But this one won’t be anywhere near the shootout it was versus Washington; Dallas and Minnesota are both in the bottom three in pace according to Football Outsiders. Dallas’s power run scheme and Minnesota’s spotty offensive output should keep this one dangerously close to the Vegas total of 44.

Reports are that Stefon Diggs will be back in action this week for the Vikings which isn’t ideal; Pro Football Focus gives him an 18 point advantage versus Orlando Scandrick to go along with hit-or-miss Cordarelle Patterson’s 20 point advantage over Anthony Brown (“we need Morris Claiborne back” being a sentence I can utter ironically makes that slightly better). Barry Church can help but it all depends on if Bradford gets going. Minnesota’s secondary should be able to keep Dallas’s WR corps under wraps with Dez a tight matchup against Xavier Rhodes. Cole Beasley has a shot at finding some room to work in the slot in Minnesota’s one secondary weakness but this one is going to come down to the Zeke and Bradford Failures Hour or it’ll end up the first blemish on the Cowboys’ record in two months+. My pick: Cowboys 27 Vikings 23.

Buy A Shirt

Cyber Monday sales are over but our singular Cowboys shirt is still hot in the store and the streets. It’s a #21 Savage kind of game.

And a Dak shirt that could have been but it looks like mayyyy get us a bit too sued:

Some birds aren’t meant to be caged