Why did CBS switch the Cowboys vs. Vikings NFL game last night?

The NFL had a potentially great Week 11 game on their hands, as the Minnesota Vikings were facing America's team, the Dallas Cowboys, in a Sunday matchup of NFC titans. However, no one expected the Cowboys to absolutely decimate the Vikings, with the score being 37-3 in the third quarter.

This blowout struck a chord with CBS, as the league broadcasters switched coverage to the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Cincinnati Bengals game. This act elicited numerous thought pieces, memes, coverage, and internet reactions, as the general public mocked the Vikings for being demolished so effortlessly. So why did CBS switch the Cowboys versus the Vikings NFL game last night?

Simply put, CBS switched NFL coverage following the third quarter because there was nothing to play for in the game, and it ceased being a contest. The Vikings might be having a phenomenal NFL season, but there was no way they'd be able to score four unanswered touchdowns on the Cowboys' defense. Hence, CBS felt that tuning into a more competitive and balanced NFL game would do the viewers more of a favor.

So do networks sometimes switch out NFL games because of blowouts?

Yes, they do, if the game is presently in the second half, and there's potentially another game on their network to which they can switch. However, it is important to note that television markets would consider the home market status for a particular team on broadcast; this being considered, they will not switch the game even in a blowout.

For instance, if, say, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing on CBS and are up by 35 over Detroit with five minutes to play in the third quarter. Meanwhile, New England and Tampa Bay are tied with the same time remaining and are also on CBS in different markets. CBS may switch most markets watching the Chiefs to the New England game. But, in the Kansas and Detroit markets, they will continue to show the Chiefs and Lions. In fact, other markets that are part of the markets of that team will continue to show their game.

How did the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings perform last night?

The Dallas Cowboys had a fantastic NFL night in Minnesota, as they trounced a high-flying Vikings team 40-3, ending their seven games unbeaten run in the process. The Cowboys were buoyed by a 276-yard passing performance by Dak Prescott, a 131-rushing performance by Tony Pollard, and a typically solid receiving game by their number one receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys thus improved their season record to 7-3, putting them in a solid spot as the playoffs get closer and closer.

The Minnesota Vikings, on the other hand, had a night to forget in front of their expectant fans, as they lost badly to America's team. The match was a stark contrast from their solid performances over the past seven games, as they were thoroughly outplayed by Dak Prescott and his squad.

Nothing went well for the Vikings, as the team could not even score a single touchdown for the night. Kirk Cousins threw for 105 yards, and the team's defense was utterly sloppy. As a result, the Vikings dropped to 8-2 for the season, and they will be hoping to shake off such a bad performance before their Week 12 matchup against Bill Belichick's New England Patriots.