Frederick, who retired in March, was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2019 after missing the entire 2018 season with Guillain-Barre syndrome. He’s the 52nd Halas Award winner, the second member of the Cowboys to receive the honor, joining Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach (1980).

The Halas Award is given to an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes adversity to succeed. The award is named for a charter member (1963) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who had a role with the formation of the NFL and owned the Chicago Bears until his death in 1983.

In his retirement announcement, Frederick wrote:

“I started a journey almost two years ago that completely blindsided me. When I developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, I did not know how to handle things. I was scared. That experience forced me to re-evaluate my life priorities. I spent much of that year thinking about both the past and future. I realized how fortunate I was to play a game for a living. I realized how fortunate I was to make friends and become teammates with some great men.

“I made my return to the field, played well overall, and was selected to the Pro Bowl, but it was a difficult year for me. Each day, I faced a struggle: I could no longer perform at my highest level. Playing “well” is not what I expect of myself and is not what my teammates deserve. Because of this, I know my days as a football player are done. I am proud of what I have accomplished in my career, and I walk away with my head held high.”

Frederick was a first-round pick in the 2013 draft and became the first Cowboys rookie to start every game at center. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system, in 2018.

Other 2020 nominees for the Halas Award were Ravens tight end coach Bobby Engram, Vikings defensive lineman Everson Griffen, Chargers tackle Russell Okung and Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

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Players’ union attorney Jeffrey Kessler wrote to a federal judge in New York on Friday that Elliott’s legal team would pursue a hearing before a larger panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

A three-judge panel voted 2-1 to grant the NFL’s request to overrule a Texas court’s injunction that had blocked the suspension. The ruling also ordered the Texas court to dismiss Elliott’s lawsuit.

Barring another ruling in Elliott’s favor, the suspension will start Oct. 22 at San Francisco. The Cowboys are off this week.

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Green Bay Packers vs Dallas Cowboys
When: 4:40 PM ET, Sunday, January 15, 2017
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texa

TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Cowboys -4.5
O/U: 52.5
PREDICTION: Cowboys 28, Packers 24

Oddsmakers currently have the DALLAS listed as -4.5 point favorites versus the GREEN BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 52.

Aaron Rodgers is the lava-hot quarterback who throws Hail Mary touchdown passes as easily as slant patterns and already owns a Super Bowl ring.

Dak Prescott is the ultra-cool customer, who seemingly isn’t bothered by any of the pressure that comes with being a NFL quarterback.

Prescott looks to guide Dallas to its first Super Bowl appearance in 21 years and that task begins Sunday when the Cowboys host Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers in an NFC divisional-round contest (4:40 p.m. ET, FOX).

Prescott was the steal of the NFL draft as a fourth-round selection and he quickly turned then-injured Tony Romo into an afterthought. Dallas went 13-3 and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed behind Prescott and fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL with 1,631 rushing yards during the regular season.

“To me, it’s all about being prepared,” Prescott said. “In a way, you get nerves; nerves hit you. You’re not human if they don’t hit you. But there’s a difference between being nervous and having good nerves to go out there and play. But it’s been a while since I’ve truly been just nervous.”

The fourth-seeded Packers counter with Rodgers, the more-experienced gunslinger who carried Green Bay into the postseason after a sluggish 4-6 start. Rogers guided the Packers to six straight wins to conclude the regular season and then helped fuel last Sunday’s 38-13 thrashing of the New York Giants in the wild-card round.

Rodgers has been superb by firing 18 touchdowns passes without a single interception over the last seven contests. One of his four touchdown passes against the Giants was his third Hail Mary toss in a 13-month span.

“He’s been hot for about nine years,” Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. “He’s a great football player, always has been and he just plays the game at a really, really high level and we have a really, really healthy respect for him and what he does and how he makes everyone around him better.”

Oh yeah, that Super Bowl ring Rodgers owns? He won it in Dallas when the Packers knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers at AT&T Stadium in Super Bowl XLV following the 2010 season.

“It’ll be my first game actually playing there since the Super Bowl,” Rodgers said. “It’ll be fun to get out there. It’s a beautiful stadium and I have a lot of really, really good memories from the field.”

Rodgers could be without his top target in Jordy Nelson, who is in jeopardy of missing the contest after suffering a rib injury in the game against the Giants. Nelson was the recipient of a helmet hit from New York safety Leon Hall that prompted an overnight stay in a Green Bay hospital.

Nelson won’t practice until Saturday at the earliest and head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t want to speculate on whether he could play against the Cowboys.

Nelson caught 97 passes for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season) and his absence would elevate now-healthy Randall Cobb (60 catches for 610 yards and four scores) into the role of lead receiver. Cobb caught three touchdown passes against the Giants while accumulating five receptions for 116 yards.

“I don’t know if there’s a position Randall hasn’t played for us,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting Randall the football because good things happen when you get him the football.”

Green Bay has scored 30 or more points in each of the past five games and the Cowboys certainly have the firepower to match that production.

Dallas moves the ball well on the ground with Elliott and through the air with Prescott, who passed for 3,667 yards and 23 touchdowns against four interceptions. The Cowboys had three players with 50 or more receptions — Cole Beasley (75 for 833), tight end Jason Witten (69 for 673) and wideout Dez Bryant (50 for 796).

Meanwhile, it has been the ability of Prescott to handle everything thrown at him that has stood out most.

“I think it’s probably part of his DNA,” Garrett said. “He’s a really poised, composed person, got a great perspective on life, great perspective on football. Focuses on what he needs to do to be his best. At every turn, that’s how he’s handled himself.”

Prescott guided Dallas to a 30-16 victory over the Packers on Oct. 16. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Elliott racked up 157 yards on 28 rushes.

“We just won the line of scrimmage,” Elliott said while reflecting on that game. “That’s what it came down to. We wore them down early in the game, and in the second half we started to see runs break open.”

The Green Bay defense could have cornerback Quinten Rollins (concussion) back on the field after he missed the wild-card contest. He was limited in practice Wednesday.

Dallas expects to have cornerback Morris Claiborne (groin) in the mix after he missed the past nine games. Defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence (back) and Tyrone Crawford (shoulder) and linebacker Justin Durant (elbow) are all expected to play.

Sunday’s contest marks the eighth time the Cowboys and Packers have met in the postseason. Dallas holds a 4-3 edge.

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Not that Prescott is innocent in such exchanges when reporters surround the lockers of these road-trip roommates. He’s been known to toss candy at Elliott when the new star running back of the Cowboys is answering questions.

Sure, Elliott’s the one who jumped into a jumbo Salvation Army red kettle during a game, drawing a penalty. But Prescott isn’t afraid to have a little fun with these first-year sensations trying to lead a famed franchise to its first Super Bowl in 21 years.

They’re rubbing off on 14th-year tight end Jason Witten, too.

”Just energy,” said Prescott, whose playoff debut with the NFC-leading Cowboys (13-3) will be Jan. 15 at home. ”If he’s got it, I’m going to have it. If I’ve I got it, he’s going to pick it up from me. Kind of just giving each other energy, giving this team energy. And having fun, being able to separate fun and business.”

Elliott is clearly the ringleader, thus the kettle stunt and his voracious consumption of cereal in a team-produced video, an exaggeration of the ”feed me” gesture that Elliott flashes every time he gets a first down.

When Prescott scores a touchdown, he doesn’t do much beyond pointing skyward in honor of his late mother, who died of cancer when he was at Mississippi State. And when Elliott told his quarterback before the game against Tampa Bay that he was pondering the kettle jump, Prescott steered clear of giving him a yay or a nay.

Does Prescott have a class clown on his hands? He won’t go that far.

”He’s fun,” Prescott said. ”But when it’s time to lock in, get in that film room, get out on the field, he definitely does that better than anyone.”

Enter the serious-minded Witten, by far the leading voice in the locker room after Prescott’s record-setting season relegated Tony Romo, the 10-year starter and Witten’s best friend, to the backup role.

Not only did Witten easily accept the changing roles at quarterback, fans might just see him joining a pre-game dance with his young teammates. Ever so briefly.

”Just the way it’s gone and to be able to have this opportunity to impact young players in such a positive way and the way they’re playing is remarkable,” Witten said. ”It’s fun to watch and be a part of it.

”You understand that every moment is really precious in that how all-in you are to it. That’s something I’ve been thinking about and they have put a smile on my face and they energize you in a lot of ways.”

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan believes Prescott and Elliott would have the same rapport even if circumstances hadn’t thrust Prescott into a starring role alongside his running back, who carried the expectations of a No. 4 overall pick.

Prescott was a fourth-round choice expected to be the No. 3 quarterback all year. Only after injuries to backup Kellen Moore and Romo did the Cowboys consider starting him, and that was after he had shown some promise in the preseason.

”They’ve both got real unique, really great personalities,” Linehan said. ”I would think if they were teammates in college or just passing friends, they would be pretty good buddies I think. I feel that our whole rookie class has been good that way. I’ve noticed them doing a lot of things together. So that’s a good sign.”

Now they have their weekly interviews with reporters on the same day about a dozen lockers apart, one usually waiting for the other so all the cameras can get both.

”I think everyone on this team is loose,” said Elliott, the NFL rushing champion with 1,631 yards. ”We’re going to have fun. In a season that’s so long, it can get a little hectic. But just the fact that we can keep each other loose and have fun with what we’re doing just makes it better to go day by day.”

Success, of course, has to be a big part of the formula. Otherwise, who would notice? And it’s hard not to notice the first quarterback-running back tandem in NFL history with 20 touchdown passes (Prescott with 23) and 15 touchdowns rushing (Elliott’s 15).

That’s after they were the first rookie QB-RB combo to start the season opener for Dallas since Roger Staubach and Calvin Hill in 1969.

”I don’t really look at them as rookies anymore,” Witten said. ”The lights have been bright for quite some time for them and they just continue to answer the bell. They understand these are the bright lights and the thing I respect about them the most is they come to work.”

But they find time to play.

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Jones chose Prescott with the 135th pick of the fourth round, and Tony Romo’s training camp injury microwaved plans to ease the rookie from Mississippi State into the rotation.

Now Prescott is aiming to become the first starting QB to win a Super Bowl as a rookie , and he has the supporting cast to make it happen, including fellow rookie Zeke Elliott and perhaps the best offensive line in the league.

The rest of the NFC field features teams with experienced quarterbacks who could squelch those plans, however, including Matt Ryan of the high-flying Falcons , who also earned a first-round bye.

The showcase of wild-card weekend comes Sunday when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers host Eli Manning and the Giants. On Saturday, Matthew Stafford and the Lions visit Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.

The biggest strength and weakness of each of the six NFC playoff teams:

1. DALLAS (13-3), last Lombardi: Super Bowl 30, 27-17 over Pittsburgh on Jan. 28, 1996.

Hope: Prescott and Elliott keep rolling right along and don’t allow the pressure of the playoffs to get to them. Coach Jason Garrett used the season finale against Philadelphia to allow Romo to shake off the rust , just in case. While many playoff teams have QB issues, Dallas has depth at the position.

Nope: The rookies could run out of magic in the playoffs, especially if a defense short on headlining playmakers gives one of the NFC’s elite passers plenty of time to work over a secondary that hasn’t produced many interceptions over the last two seasons.

The Dope: ”We’re as healthy as we’ve been all year. We’ve got players we didn’t dream we would have when we started training camp. Let’s let it all empty the bucket in our three games. Whatever we can do, think of, let’s do it over those three games.” – Jones, seeking his fourth ring but first 21 years.

2. ATLANTA (11-5), no Lombardi Trophies: lost Super Bowl 33 to Denver 33-19 on Jan. 31, 1999.

Hope: Exceptionally deep and balanced offense. Ryan threw a team record 38 TD passes and to an NFL record 13 targets. Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy and Aldrick Robinson provide big-play potential behind top WRs Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu. OC Kyle Shanahan is THE hot head-coaching candidate.

Nope: Despite a league-high 540 points, the defense isn’t all that. Even though youngsters Keanu Neal, Deion Jones and Vic Beasley have transformed Atlanta’s defense, the unit needs help. The Falcons allowed 19 fourth-quarter points in Sunday’s 38-32 win over New Orleans. How will it fair against Green Bay or Dallas?

The Dope: ”It’s obviously nice to be mentioned, for sure. That’s special. But at the end of the day, we’ve got bigger things in front of us.” – Ryan on MVP chatter.

3. SEATTLE (10-5-1), last Lombardi: Super Bowl 48, 43-8 over Denver, Feb. 2, 2014.

Hope: The Seahawks are an experienced team that has won at least one playoff game in each of the last seasons. Wilson remains an uncanny playmaker who can make something out of nothing and Seattle’s defense still elite. The Seahawks’ signature win in New England in November shows they can win anytime, anywhere.

Nope: Seattle enters the playoffs on a whimper . The run game has been AWOL for almost a month and the defense hasn’t been the same since star safety Earl Thomas broke his left leg in December. The loss of Tyler Lockett also eliminated one of Seattle’s key playmakers on offense and special teams.

The Dope: ”Everything that’s already happened doesn’t matter at all. Everyone wants to project how it’s going to go based on the finish. You can’t tell. It’s how you deal with it, how you go about your business, and then when it comes to game time, how you execute, then how you handle the wins.” coach Pete Carroll.

4. GREEN BAY (10-6), last Lombardi: Super Bowl 45, 31-25 over Pittsburgh, Feb. 6, 2011.

Hope: Rodgers is on a roll. And when he gets going, the Packers look unstoppable, capable of building big leads and coming back from any deficit. After a 1-2 start in 2014, Rodgers famously admonished fans to R-E-L-A-X. This time, after a 4-6 start, he came up with “run the table” that led to another NFC North title.

Nope: The defense is depleted at cornerback. The offense has been on a remarkable run of mistake-free football during its winning streak, but doesn’t have a real running threat. The Packers could be hard-pressed to keep up in high-scoring games like they were during a midseason four-game skid.

The Dope: ”We dug ourselves a hole at 4-6. We’re out of it now. And now the real challenge is starting. It’s playoff football and it’s a one-game season.” – coach Mike McCarthy.

5. NEW YORK GIANTS (11-5), last Lombardi: Super Bowl 46, 21-17 over New England, Feb. 5, 2012.

Hope: The Giants allowed an NFC-low 17.75 points a game , second in the league to the Patriots (14.06). Steve Spagnuolo’s unit has allowed 10 points or fewer in three of the last four games. Over the final 11 games opponents averaged just 16 points.

Nope: The Giants need that stingy defense because of their ineffective offense. They’re ranked 25th in the league. Only the Texans (29th) are ranked lower among playoff teams. New York didn’t score 30 points in any game during the season and hasn’t even reached 20 points since Nov. 27 against the hapless Browns.

The Dope: ”Are the guys going to be prepared, are the guys going to be ready, are the guys going to be ready for the speed? There’s no question in my mind about it.” – Linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who has won Super Bowls with the Saints and Patriots.

6. DETROIT (9-7), No Super Bowl appearances.

Hope: Stafford is clutch in crunch time . The No. 1 overall pick from the 2009 draft is the first QB to lead eight game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since the 1970 merger. However, he did struggle with a finger injury down the stretch.

Nope: Like many teams in this age of spread offenses in college failing to produce NFL-ready linemen, the Lions have O-line woes and a banged-up backfield. They rank 30th in the league in the rushing. Stafford’s been sacked an NFL-most 37 times and Zach Zenner is their top RB with Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah hurt.

The Dope: ”If you’re in, you’ve got a chance. Obviously we’ll have a chance to get better, the things we need to still work on we can improve upon.” – coach Jim Caldwell.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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AP Sports Writers Schuyler Dixon, Charles Odum, Tim Booth, Genaro Armas, Tom Canavan and Larry Lage contributed.

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It’s the third time this season Gregory has been suspended. The first was a four-game ban, followed by 10 games on top of that. The latest suspension makes him ineligible for the playoffs, which start Jan. 15 for Dallas, the top seed in the NFC.

The suspension is for one calendar year, meaning Gregory could be eligible for the playoffs without another violation if the Cowboys make it again next season. Gregory can apply for reinstatement to Commissioner Roger Goodell 60 days before the anniversary of the suspension.

Gregory played the final two games of his second regular season, recording the first sack of his career in the finale against Philadelphia.

The 24-year-old former Nebraska standout slid to the second round of the 2015 draft over off-field concerns that included a positive test for marijuana at the NFL combine.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he intends to support Gregory, but the latest ban raises doubt as to whether he will be on the Dallas roster when he is eligible to return. He only has one full season remaining in 2018 under his four-year rookie contract, and it won’t cost the Cowboys much to cut him.

Gregory was considered one of the best pass rushers in his draft, and the Cowboys were comfortable with the gamble late in the second round.

There was promise early with a strong rookie training camp and vows from Gregory that he wanted to make good on his word to Jones that he could control his issues with marijuana. But he only made it through one season, and didn’t have a sack while missing four games with an ankle injury.

The first suspension was announced last February, and he was away from the team during training camp while in rehab. The second suspension was announced in September, but Gregory remained with the team while serving the 14-game ban.

Under the latest suspension, Gregory can’t participate in club activities and is banned from team facilities except for sessions with the person in charge of his treatment.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys
When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
LINE: Cowboys -7.
O/U: 47
PREDICTION: Cowboys 21, Buccaneers 17

Oddsmakers currently have the Cowboys listed as 7-point favorites versus the Buccaneers, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.

Dak Prescott is 11-2 as a starting quarterback. He’s thrown for 20 touchdowns with only four interceptions and his team has the best record in the NFC and is tied with the New England Patriots for the NFL’s top mark.

The season has gone better than anyone’s wildest expectations.

So, should Prescott be looking over his shoulder?

Such is life with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys didn’t invent quarterback controversies, but the argument could be that the franchise perfected the art of pitting signal callers against each other in the press and among the fandom.

To be fair, the Cowboys aren’t publicly talking about benching Prescott in favor of veteran and longtime starter Tony Romo. Such chatter also doesn’t appear to be taking place behind the scenes.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett reiterated as much going into Sunday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“You can make it as simple or as complex as you want to make it,” Garrett told reporters at his weekly press conference. “It’s pretty simple for us: Dak’s going to play quarterback as we go forward.”

Prescott is coming off a series of subpar performances, at least by his standards, culminating in Sunday’s 10-7 loss at the New York Giants. Dallas’ offense has sputtered, and Prescott is finally playing like a rookie.

The fourth-round pick from Mississippi State completed just 17 of 37 passes for 165 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against the Giants. It was the first time this season he’s thrown multiple picks in the same game.

Prescott has failed to reach 200 yards passing in each of his last three games. The Cowboys have been successful on just 2 of 24 on third-down conversions in the last two contests. Dallas has scored just 24 points in those two games.

Still, Garrett appears to have no interest in turning to Romo.

“We’re just focused on Dak playing quarterback for us,” Garrett said. “And we’ll continue to do that in our preparation this week and as we go forward.

“He’s done a really good job for us up to this point, won 11 of 13 games that he’s started, and he’s handled really every situation as well as you can handle it, so we’ll just continue that way. Tony will be in a backup role for us and he’ll be ready to go if he’s called upon to play.”

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones has helped stoke the controversy fires with comments in recent weeks suggesting that Romo will play a significant role before the season ends.

Jones admitted on his radio show this week that Romo getting into a game is a possibility due to injury or poor play by Prescott.

“I understand the question, but I don’t want to get into the scenario,” Jones said. “It goes too far into talking about what we don’t want to talk about. But given the need for (Romo), we want him ready on the spur of the moment.”

The Cowboys have a playoff spot secured and their magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC is two with three games to play.

The Buccaneers (8-5) are tied with Atlanta atop the NFC South and riding a five-game winning streak.

Tampa Bay’s longest unbeaten run since 2002 is turning heads, but the Bucs aren’t getting caught up in the hype.

“That’s for the media and you guys to say,” defensive end Robert Ayers told reporters this week. “All I know is that we’re 8-5 right now, we’re trying to get to 9-5. We’re taking it one game at a time and we’re trying to keep hunting. We let you guys give labels and stuff like that, but I know we’re hungry.”

As coach Dirk Koetter said, “We’re an 8-5 football team, but we’ve got bigger goals than that.”

In addition to the division race, the Buccaneers control their postseason destiny by sitting in the second wild card slot in the NFC. The playoffs are in view.

“It’s in my mind, but going 1-0 (each week) is very important to us as a team,” quarterback Jameis Winston said. “We’re not really trying to look forward. (Offensive coordinator Todd Monken) says all the time, ‘Be where your feet are.’ We’ve got to keep winning. As long as we keep getting Ws, the playoffs are going to be in there.”

Defense has carried Tampa Bay during its streak. The Bucs have given up a league-low 12.8 points per game since Week 10. The six total touchdowns scored by opponents are tied for the fewest during that span.

The offense has struggled some under Winston, scoring just six touchdowns in the last four games. The reasons for the sputtering attack are varied.

“Sometimes it might be the play call, it might be execution, it might be a penalty, a combination of all those things,” Koetter said. “I know how these guys can play on offense and I know when we get there.”

Dallas leads the series 13-4 against Tampa Bay, but the Bucs won 10-6 last season.

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Dallas Cowboys vs Chicago Bears
When: 8:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 3, 2016
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
PREDICTION: Bulls 99, Mavericks 92

DALLAS — After back-to-back losses to drop an NBA-worst 3-15, the Dallas Mavericks are grasping for any positives heading into Saturday night’s game against the visiting Chicago Bulls.

So despite dropping successive games to San Antonio and Charlotte, the injury-riddled Mavs are focusing on the fact that they were competitive against the Spurs and Hornets. It’s not the kind of thing a franchise like Dallas, which has made playoff appearances in 15 of the last 16 seasons, is used to doing, but right now they have little choice.

“Look, it’s a 48-minute game and good starts are a very important part to winning in this league, but one thing I like is if we get off to a slow start, our guys don’t get discouraged,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said following Thursday’s 97-87 loss to the Hornets. “They keep battling. Guys are battling. We’re hanging in, we’re giving ourselves a chance, but we’ve got to work through this period and get these guys fully healthy. You know, get these guys full speed and full minutes, and our chances will be much greater.”

Dallas will again be without star Dirk Nowitzki (sore right Achilles tendon), who has played in just five games this season. He will miss his fourth consecutive game after making his long-awaited return, which lasted just two games. Guards Deron Williams and Devin Harris are back, but both remain on minutes restrictions. Guard J.J. Barea (calf) remains and guard Seth Curry (knee) could play after missing Thursday’s game at Charlotte.

Meanwhile, the retooled Bulls are playing some intriguing basketball with hometown hero Dwyane Wade leading the way. The former Miami Heat superstar put up 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and a couple steals in Friday night’s impressive 111-105 home win against Wade’s former teammate LeBron James and his newly crowned Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wade is now just four assists shy of recording 5,000 for his career. Only seven players have managed that since 1984, with one being James.

The big win saw Chicago improve to 11-7 to start the season under second-year coach Fred Hoiberg. However, Dallas won’t have to face its nemesis Wade. Hoiberg said Wade won’t make the trip with the Bulls in a four-games-in-five-nights situation.

Chicago has other weapons. Against Cleveland, the Bulls, who rank 13th overall in scoring at just under 105 points a game, had four starters score in double figures against Cleveland and three had more than 20 points with all-everything Jimmy Butler going for 26 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, two blocks and a single turnover in 41 minutes.

Veteran point guard Rajon Rondo was spectacular with a triple-double of 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 assists, 11 rebounds, plus three steals.

“I thought Rondo was great all night long,” Hoiberg said after Friday’s win. “You could hear him yelling ‘Run with me’ to all the guys all game.”

Now, even had Wade been available, they head into a game that could easily fall into the trap category in that it’s the second game in consecutive nights, coming off an emotional contest followed by a dreary eyed arrival into Dallas. If the Bulls can get wins on back-to-back nights it sets it would end a win-lose flip flop dating back to Nov. 19.

Chicago won’t want to let one get away to a three-win team either considering the difficult three-game stretch ahead against Portland and Detroit on back-to-back nights followed by a visit from the road-perfect San Antonio Spurs two nights later.

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”They must think I’m Dak,” Wilber said, referring to rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.

This time, a third-string linebacker that has bounced from position to position during five years in Dallas took center stage over any of the Cowboys’ numerous playmakers.

Wilber stripped Vikings punt returner Adam Thielen and recovered the ball at the Minnesota 8-yard line in the fourth quarter, setting up a touchdown in a 17-15 victory over the Vikings for the Cowboys’ 11th straight win.

”That’s what coach (Jason Garrett) emphasizes to us. Make a play on the ball, make a difference on special teams,” Wilber said. ”I’m just trying to do my job.”

On a night when the powerful Cowboys running game had a hard time getting going against a determined Vikings defense, Wilber’s big play made all the difference. The Cowboys were held to season lows in points, yards (264) and first downs (13) and trailed 9-7 when Wilber punched the ball out.

”Just didn’t do my job well enough,” Thielen said. ”Just bad ball security and the ball got out on me.”

Dez Bryant caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Prescott on the next play to help the Cowboys (11-1) squeak it out. Bryant finished with four catches for 84 yards, including a 56-yarder that set up a 1-yard TD by Ezekiel Elliott in the first half.

Sam Bradford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerick McKinnon with 25 seconds to play, but his 2-point conversion throw sailed over Thielen’s head, leading to the sixth loss in seven games for the Vikings (6-6).

”We’ll have to win out,” Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr said of the team’s playoff chances. ”I was hoping to get this win today and go on a run, but hopefully it starts next week.”

Takeaways from the game:

RELATIVELY SMOOTH TRANSITION: Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer had one day to prepare for his NFL head coaching debut, after beloved boss Mike Zimmer had emergency eye surgery to repair a detached retina. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and offensive line coach Tony Sparano, both of whom have been head coaches in the league before, remained in their roles to minimize the disruption. Defensive coordinator George Edwards took over the play-calling duty from Zimmer.

Priefer’s only critical decision turned out well, a challenge late in the fourth quarter that resulted in a first down being overturned for Dallas when replays showed Prescott’s slide began before the marker.

”When you have a bunch of guys that work hard, when you’ve got a great locker room with great leadership, it makes my job a little bit easier to prepare for this type of game,” Priefer said.

LAST GASP: Bradford argued to the officials after the 2-point conversion failed, saying the Cowboys should have been penalized when a defender hit him in the facemask. A flag would have given the Vikings another chance, but none was thrown. ”I’m sick and tired of the reffing in this league right now,” Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. ”I’m sick and tired of it. You’ve got holding calls all over the place that people don’t want to call. Bradford gets hit in the face at the end of the game and you don’t call it. I’m not laying this loss on reffing, but at some point it’s got to get better.”

BULLET DODGED: The Cowboys had two turnovers in the game – a strip sack of Prescott by Robison and a fumble from receiver Lucky Whitehead. They were their first two giveaways in five games. ”It’s not the best game we’ve played all year, but when it mattered we made the plays we needed to and got the win,” Elliott said.

DAK’S LEGS: Prescott had a quiet game through the air, completing 12 of 18 passes for 139 yards. But he also rushed for 37 yards, converting two big third downs to keep drives alive. ”It wasn’t a clean game, but nobody ever flinched or thought anything different was going to happen besides us winning the game and making the plays to do that,” Prescott said.

LOCKED OUT: Vikings punter Jeff Locke has been enjoying a career-best season in his fourth year with the team, but he slumped badly in this game with a 16-yarder, a 25-yarder and a 33-yarder that led to a field goal. All three of them were end-over-end wobblers that took an unfriendly bounce back toward the line of scrimmage. ”I’m pretty disappointed in how I punted tonight,” Locke said. ”Especially in a close game like this, we need the field position to help us win.”

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Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, December 1, 2016
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.
LINE: Cowboys -3.5.
O/U: 43.5
PREDICTION: Cowboys 23, Vikings 20

MINNEAPOLIS — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is being hailed by many as the best running back to enter the league since Adrian Peterson.

In a league where running backs have been devalued, Elliott has made Dallas’ decision to draft the Ohio State back fourth overall this year a wise move. Elliott leads the NFL with 1,199 yards and is second in rushing touchdowns with 11.

Peterson debuted with 1,341 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2007 after being the seventh pick in the draft out of Oklahoma.

Peterson is on the sideline with a knee injury, but his Minnesota Vikings will be the next to try and slow Elliott. Minnesota knows what it’s up against at home on Thursday when the Vikings (6-5) host Dallas (10-1).

“Well, he’s one of the better backs I’ve seen in quite a while,” Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said. “He’s really an all-purpose guy that catches the ball very well out of the backfield. He’s quick into the hole; looks like he’s got great vision … He’s special.”

Zimmer, the former Cowboys defensive coordinator, had plenty of accolades to shower on Dallas’ offense this week. He was complementary of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who is fourth in the league with a 108.6 quarterback rating.

One reason the Cowboys have had success with two rookies playing vital roles is the offensive line.

“They’re really, really good,” Zimmer said. “They’re the best line I’ve seen in a long time in the NFL, physical, athletic, big.”

Many of those same descriptions have been offered about the Vikings’ defense this season. Thursday’s meeting is a matchup of strengths.

Dallas is third in the league in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game, and is fifth in total offense with 407.6 yards per game. Minnesota’s defense has allowed the second-fewest points per game at 17.5 and is third in total defense, giving up 307 yards per game.

“They have great players on defense,” Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, a former Vikings’ offensive coordinator, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “They get a lot of people around the football. Teams that play hard and hustle and get lots of guys around the ball, good things happen for them. We’ve got to be as good about our ability to get people around the football, protect the ball carriers and ultimately play aggressive football without getting loose with it.”

Only two teams have created more takeaways than Minnesota’s 20 this season. The Vikings have 12 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries and are second in the league with a plus-12 turnover-differential.

Prescott and Dallas have protected the ball, turning the ball over just seven times this season, the second-fewest in the league.

“That has given us a great opportunity to stay on the plus side of the ledger in turnover ratio,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett told the Star-Telegram. “Typically that gives you a good chance to win. We need to take the ball away more. We haven’t done a good job. We haven’t done a good job of that the last three or four ball games.”

Only four teams have fewer takeaways than Dallas’ 10.

Blessed with a keep-away offense, though, the Cowboys have won 10 games in a row and are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. Dallas could become the first team in the NFL to clinch this weekend. The Cowboys need a win and either a Tampa Bay loss or tie, or a Washington loss.

“It would be great, but I think the goals for this team are bigger than that,” guard Zack Martin told the team’s website. “We’ve got five weeks left, and we know that this season really starts after Thanksgiving here, so we’re ready to make a push here and finish strong.”

Both teams play Thursday with a full week’s worth of rest after they played on Thanksgiving. Dallas held on at home for a 31-26 win against the Redskins. Minnesota lost for the fifth time in six games at Detroit in a 16-13 finale.

“Obviously, I think everyone’s a little bit frustrated right now,” Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford said. “For whatever reason, we just weren’t able to come back off the bye and play the way we have those first five games, and I think anytime you go through a stretch like we’ve had, people do get frustrated and it’s tough.”

Bradford showed up on Minnesota’s injury report this week with an ankle injury. He was limited in practice on Monday and Tuesday but is expected to play. The line protecting Bradford is another story.

Center Joe Berger missed two days of practice after leaving last week’s game with a concussion. Berger is likely out Thursday and Nick Easton could start at center. Right tackle Jeremiah Sirles (hip) also left last week’s game. He was limited in Monday’s practice and a full participant on Friday. Zimmer said he expects Sirles to be “all right.”

The Vikings can’t afford any more blows to the offensive line. Minnesota has already lost starting tackles Matt Kalil and Andre Smith, along with Jake Long, who was signed to replace Kalil. Versatile backup Mike Harris has spent the season on injured reserve with an unspecified illness.

Willie Beavers, who replaced Sirles in last week’s game at right tackle, became the sixth player to take snaps at tackle for the Vikings this season.

Minnesota did get leading receiver Stefon Diggs back at practice this week on a limited basis after he missed last week’s game with a knee injury. Cornerback Terence Newman (neck) and punt returner Marcus Sherels (ribs) missed last week. Newman returned to full practice, but Sherels had not practiced by Tuesday.

Dallas will likely be without cornerback Morris Claiborne (groin), linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring) and safety J.J. Wilcox (thigh). Safety Barry Church (forearm) has practiced on a limited basis and could return Thursday after missing four games.

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