In the Minnesota Vikings Week 11 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, the home team Vikes are actually a 1.5-point underdog. Ahead of this interesting spread in the Vikings-Cowboys game, let’s make some bold Vikings Week 11 predictions.

Heading into this game at 8-1, it’s a little shocking that Las Vegas and the greater NFL universe still doesn’t believe in the Vikings. But the fact is they don’t and that, combined with a possible letdown after last week’s incredible overtime win vs. the Buffalo Bills, is why the away side is favored.

As for the Cowboys, they were cruising along this season, too, until the Green Bay Packers rose up and took them out last week. Was that just a one-off where the Packers played their best game of the season, and the Cowboys played their worst? Or is it a sign of bigger issues to come?

In addition to being the most entertaining matchup on this week’s NFL slate, the Vikings-Cowboys tilt will have far-reaching implications for the 2022 NFC playoff picture. With that in mind, let’s make some bold Vikings Week 11 predictions.

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4. Dalvin Cook goes for over 100 yards, breaking an odd pattern

When you look at Dalvin Cook’s rushing totals this season, you’ll see he’s had good yardage games every other week. His rushing totals by week this season are 90, 17, 96, 76, 94, 77, 111, 47, 119.

There seems to be no driving force behind this pattern as far as wins and losses or the quality of the opponent, it is just an odd coincidence. That said, the bold Week 11 Vikings prediction here is that Cook finally breaks his game-on, game-off pattern and goes for over 100 yards in the Vikings-Cowboys game.

The Cowboys have the No. 4 scoring defense in the league, but that is largely based on their strength against the pass. As good as Micah Parsons and company have been in 2022, they’ve also given up the ninth-most rushing yards (1,288) in the league.

Last week, Aaron Jones gashed the Dallas D for 138 yards. This week, look for Cook to do the same.

3. Vikings D continues to get timely turnovers

The Vikings defense was supposed to be much improved this season and in many ways, it is. The numbers illustrate perfectly how the Minnesota defense has become a bend-but-don’t-break unit in 2022.

The Vikings are 23rd in yards allowed (3,431) but 12th in points against (191). That’s largely because the team is 12th in sacks (26), fourth in turnover percentage (15.7%), and fifth in interceptions (10).

Minnesota’s defense gets turnovers when it needs them most, just like it did last week with Josh Allen’s two red zone interceptions and fumble on his own goal line. Likewise, Dak Prescott threw a red zone INT of his own in the loss to the Packers.

Combine the Vikings' opportunism with Prescott’s penchant for making mistakes, and that’s a recipe for more big takeaways in the Week 11 Vikings-Cowboys game.

2. Justin Jefferson continues to make his case as the best WR in the NFL

The bold Vikings Week 11 prediction here is that Justin Jefferson is awesome, and he will keep being awesome vs. the Cowboys.

OK, the prediction is a little more nuanced than that, but it almost doesn’t have to be. Last week, Jefferson put on a performance for the ages with 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo. That was his sixth 100-plus-yard game of the season and his fourth of 147 yards or more.

The Vikings are 8-1, in large part, because Kirk Cousins has found out that when in trouble, the best thing to do is go to Justin Jefferson.

The Cowboys have Trevon Diggs, who can be one of the best shutdown corners in the game but can also give up big plays. Also, last week the Cowboys refused to put him exclusively on the Packers' Christian Watson, and the rookie torched the ‘Boys for 107 yards and three TDs.

All this adds up to a big day for Jefferson on Sunday.

1. Vikings 27, Cowboys 24

Despite being home dogs, the Vikings are the better team in this matchup. Las Vegas might prefer the beloved Cowboys from a spread perspective, but Minnesota is the real deal, and they will continue proving that this Sunday.

The final bold Vikings Week 11 prediction is that the home team will pull the “upset” and get the win over the Cowboys to move to 9-1 on the season. An 8-1 squad beating a 6-3 team shouldn’t be that bold of a prediction, but apparently, in Week 11 of 2022, it is.

After this week, though, if the team does go through 11 weeks with just one loss, there will be no more denying that the Vikings are one of the best teams in the NFL.