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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Dallas Cowboys' defense will receive a boost Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker Sean Lee is playing despite an illness that kept him out of Tuesday’s practice, and safety Barry Church is returning to action from a fractured forearm. Lee was expected to play after going through the walk-through before the team traveled to Minneapolis. Church went through three practices without any issue, and he will wear a carbon-fiber brace for added protection. His return helps because J.J. Wilcox is out with a bruised thigh. Despite missing the past four games, Church leads the Cowboys with two interceptions and is third in tackles, according to the coaches' count, with 64. He has the Cowboys' most recent interception, which came Oct. 16 against the Green Bay Packers. Defensive end Benson Mayowa will get a chance to jump-start the Cowboys' pass rush after being inactive the previous three games. Mayowa fell out of favor with the coaches after recording just two sacks and six quarterback pressures in the first eight games. Ryan Davis replaced Mayowa the past three games but did not record a sack. The Cowboys signed Mayowa as a restricted free agent away from the Oakland Raiders with a $3.3 million signing bonus. He started two of the first eight games and was credited with five tackles, two sacks, one tackle for loss, six pressures and a fumble recovery. In addition to Davis and Wilcox, cornerback Morris Claiborne, running back Darius Jackson, linebacker Justin Durant, tackle Chaz Green and quarterback Mark Sanchez are inactive.
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