The Dallas Cowboys have played with their backs against the wall for almost a month, but their margin for error has officially shrunk to zero ahead of Sunday night's showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, who are fresh off undressing the Washington Commanders 31-0.
The Cowboys are deserved favorites, but this defense is suddenly reeling again after it allowed 44 points to the Detroit Lions. It doesn't sound like Trevon Diggs will play, which means Dallas will need all hands on deck to keep all-world wide receiver Justin Jefferson in check.
Sure enough, standout rookie cornerback Shavon Revel is dealing with knee soreness and was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. It's hard to say if Revel is in danger of missing the game, but regardless, this is not ideal news days before a must-win game.
i noted on @TalkinCowboys this morning that Shavon Revel (limited in practice) is dealing with some knee soreness (not a setback, though) — per Revel to me on Wednesday.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) December 11, 2025
Matt Eberflus just confirmed what the young CB told me, and that he'll be limited again on Thursday.
Cowboys can't afford to be without Shavon Revel Jr. against Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
It's been a frustrating season for Jefferson, who has struggled to develop a rapport with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Jefferson, who finished fourth in catches, second in receiving yards, and tied for fifth in touchdowns last season, has caught just 64 passes for 810 yards and two TDs in 13 games this year. He's only had two 100-yard games and hasn't posted more than 70 receiving yards since October. In the last two games, Jefferson has a 4-15-0 receiving line. That is not a typo.
Why is that bad news? Well, the Cowboys have been this season's get-right team for any struggling player. Russell Wilson, Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, and Marvin Harrison all had their best games of the season against Dallas. Even Bryce Young threw for three TDs on Matt Eberflus' defense.
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At the very least, Revel won't be 100 percent if he plays. DaRon Bland might see a lot of Jefferson, and he's had a very up-and-down (mostly down) season.
Among 99 cornerbacks who've logged at least 200 coverage snaps this season, Bland has allowed the third-most yards (620) and fourth-most catches (49), per Pro Football Focus. While Bland has put together some Pro Bowl-caliber games this year, it will be hard to have any confidence if he's matched up against Jefferson given how he played against the Lions.
McCarthy could play badly enough to take Jefferson out of the game himself. But with Revel banged up, it's quite easy to picture a world where Jefferson's scorched-earth tendencies return.