Cowboy Victory Puts Johnson in Bad Mood : NFC: Coach criticizes his defense after defeating the Vikings, 37-20.

A perturbed Jimmy Johnson derided his team. And, as did his coach, Michael Irvin said the Dallas Cowboys aren’t even close to last season’s Super Bowl form.

One wonders what the mood would have been in Dallas’ locker room Sunday had the Cowboys not beaten the Minnesota Vikings, 37-20.

“We’ve got to get better,” Johnson said, “because our defensive performance this afternoon was not what is going to allow us to win many games.”

Dallas (9-4) stayed within a game of the NFC East-leading New York Giants and tied San Francisco for the conference’s second-best record.

Minnesota (6-7), which has its first four-game home losing streak since 1984, fell two games back in the NFC Central.

Johnson felt good about his team’s offense, which had struggled since a 31-7 victory over the Giants on Nov. 7. But Irvin wasn’t impressed with the way Dallas manhandled Minnesota, even though the Vikings entered the game with the NFL’s second-ranked defense.

“I don’t think we’re close to last year,” said Irvin, who caught eight passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, but also dropped a touchdown pass. “It was a good day offensively, but not a great day. When we have a great day, people will know about it.”

Minnesota backup quarterback Sean Salisbury, who replaced Jim McMahon late in the game and completed seven consecutive passes, including a nine-yard touchdown to Anthony Carter, was impressed by the Cowboys.

“If they play like that, I find it hard to believe anyone can stop them,” he said. “They’re stockpiled and they’re good and it’s no mystery why they’re the champions.

“They don’t dress in a phone booth, but it sure looked like it today. They’re awesome. If you talk about an odds-on favorite, you’ve got to talk about them.”

Carter’s touchdown catch was the 51st of his career, breaking Sammy White’s Minnesota record.