Cowboys vs. Vikings, lines, odds, pick: Andy Dalton back as Dallas looks to cover spread second straight game

The Dallas Cowboys are red-hot! OK, they come out of their bye week last in the NFC East at 2-7 and on a four-game losing streak. However, the Cowboys did cover the spread in their first game of the season in Week 9 and look for a second straight cover Sunday with Andy Dalton back at quarterback as they visit the surging Minnesota Vikings, who are currently 7.5-point favorites on the William Hill sportsbook NFL odds.

Dallas is the only team without at least two against the spread victories on the season; even the straight-up winless Jets have two such victories. Dalton suffered a concussion in Week 7's 25-3 loss at Washington. That kept him out of Week 8; rookie seventh-round pick Ben DiNucci started in Philadelphia and was overwhelmed in a 23-9 loss.

In Week 9, the Cowboys were two-touchdown home underdogs vs. Pittsburgh and Dalton had to sit that one out because he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Journeyman Garrett Gilbert started and was decent in completing 21 of 38 for 243 yards, a TD and pick while rushing for 28 yards on three carries in the 24-19 loss.

Dalton was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. Presumably, Gilbert will be his backup. The Cowboys will begin life without excellent rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs. The second-round pick out of Alabama could miss the rest of the season with a broken foot. He had 48 tackles, 10 passes defensed and two picks on the year.

Dallas is still in the NFC East race, 1.5 games behind first-place Philadelphia (3-5-1) and those teams play again Week 16 in Big D. At William Hill, Coach Mike McCarthy's club is +750 to win the division.

The Cowboys have about the best rest advantage a team could hope for here off their bye and with Minnesota on a short week after winning Monday night in Chicago. Receiver Adam Thielen had his third game with multiple touchdown receptions this season. On third down against a very good defense, Kirk Cousins he completed 10-of-11 passes 149 yards to four different receivers. It was Cousins' first-ever win as a starter on Monday Night Football in 10 tries. Once 1-5, the Vikings have won three in a row to get into the Wild-Card chase. 

Sevens are definitely not lucky for Dallas entering this one. It has lost seven straight road games, is 0-7 ATS in its past seven vs. the NFC and is 0-7 ATS in its past seven at the Vikings. 

So which teams should you back in Week 11 of the 2020 NFL season? And which Super Bowl contender goes down HARD? ... Join SportsLine right now to see who wins and covers every single NFL game this week, plus get the exact final score, all from the acclaimed model that has returned over $7,800 on its top-rated NFL picks!