2 winners & 3 losers from Cowboys sloppy loss to Vikings in Week 15

The Dallas Cowboys needed a win on Sunday Night Football, but they fell short.

Dallas once again was let down by their defense, which surrendered 34 points to the Minnesota Vikings while allowing J.J. McCarthy to look like a seasoned vet. Their offense was also a disappointment, scoring just 23 points.

MORE: Jerry Jones walks out on Dallas Cowboys brutal loss to Vikings early

Now at 6-7-1, their chances of making the playoffs have all but evaporated. That said, let's see which players stood out as both winners and losers in the frustrating loss.

Loser: Brandon Aubrey, K

Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey runs a fake field goal during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Already known as one of the best, if not the best, kickers in the NFL, Brandon Aubrey has shown he can do more than kick the ball in recent weeks. Against the Detroit Lions, Aubrey made a hard tackle on return man Tom Kennedy and went viral for the hit.

This week, Aubrey showed off his speed. On the opening drive, Aubrey took the ball on a fake field goal, and ran for six yards and a fresh set of downs.

Brandon Aubrey fake field goal alert 🚨

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Dallas capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown from Javonte Williams, giving them a 7-0 lead. Sadly for Aubrey, his night went in the wrong direction after that.

He entered the night with just two missed kicks on the season, but missed two in this one. While Dallas lost by eight, the missed kicks were a huge reason for the defeat, especially since it forced them to go for it on fourth and long late in the game.

Winner: Javonte Williams, RB

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams runs against Minnesota Vikings linebackers Jonathan Greenard and Eric Wilson. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

After scoring a touchdown on the opening drive, Javonte Williams had to briefly leave the game with a shoulder injury. While Malik Davis scored a touchdown in his absence, the offense wasn't the same without Williams, who proved his toughness by returning to the game and putting up another great performance.

Williams finished with 91 yards on 15 carries and was still running hard despite being in pain. He was favoring his shoulder throughout the night, but that didn't slow him down as he displayed the grit this team needed on offense.

Loser: Terence Steele, OT

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Dallas offensive line is full of younger players, with Terence Steele standing out as the most experienced veteran. Now in his sixth season, he should be the leader of the unit, but that hasn't been the case.

Steele hasn't played up to expectations this season, with Week 15 standing out as another subpar game. Steele didn't hold up well in pass protection, including a third-and-five late in the second quarter. Steele was beaten off the snap by Jonathan Greenard, who sacked Prescott for a five-yard loss.

Dallas had to settle for a long field goal attempt, which was uncharacteristically missed by Brandon Aubrey.

Winner: CeeDee Lamb, WR

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb runs against Minnesota Vikings linebackers Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

CeeDee Lamb had another strong outing, recording 111 yards on six receptions. While the Vikings are a tough defense, especially against the pass, Lamb found a way to move the chains, That's more than most of his teammates can say.

Loser: Caelen Carson, CB

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Caelen Carson wears a “94” decal on his helmet to honor teammate Marshawn Kneeland | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas secondary has been a problem all season, and that continued in Week 15. While every defensive back had their issues, second-year player Caelen Carson was one who stood out for the wrong reasons multiple times.

Carson was beaten deep by Jordan Addison for a 58-yard gain in the second quarter. He was able to catch him and kept Addison from scoring, but the Vikings still scored on a one-yard touchdown run by J.J. McCarthy.

Later in the same quarter, Carson was flagged for shoving Justin Jefferson after the play. This negated an illegal shift penalty on Minnesota, meaning instead of first-and-15 from the Dallas 26, the Vikings had first-and-10 from the Dallas 11.

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