Cowboys vs Colts Week 13: history, key players, projection
By Riley Donald
Primetime, baby! The Dallas Cowboys are back in primetime action this weekend once again as they take the field in Sunday Night Football. It goes together a bit like peanut butter and jelly — the Cowboys and late season primetime games.
The ‘Boys are coming into this one off of a long break after handling the Giants on Thanksgiving due to a strong second half from all sides of the ball to pull away. They should be rested, healthy, and in great shape for the stretch run of the final six games.
The Indianapolis Colts are in a bit of a conundrum this year. They fired their head coach, and rather than elevating anyone, they brought in former center Jeff Saturday to coach them. Quarterback Matt Ryan is aging rapidly in front of our eyes, and their offense is becoming increasingly one-dimensional.
This game kicks off a stretch of three in a row against AFC opponents in the Colts, Texans, and Jaguars. Combined, they have nine wins. Dallas has eight wins on their own, and with Dak Prescott back in the saddle, the team should differentiate themselves pretty quickly from the Cooper Rush-led offense. The stats prove Dallas is infinitely better with their leader under center.
These teams are trending in opposite directions right now, but as always, is it still the NFL, and weirder things have happened. Let’s get into the history of America’s Team versus the Colts, a look at some players who could play a big role in this one, and wrap it up with a projection on how this one shakes out.
Cowboys vs Colts: History, key matchups, and prediction
Cowboys vs Colts: Matchup History
All-time Record: 10-7 in favor of the Dallas Cowboys
Most recent result: Indianapolis Colts 23, Dallas Cowboys 0 on December 16, 2018
The last matchup in this series is a rather forgettable one for the Cowboys. In a rarity over the past few years, neither Dak Prescott nor Ezekiel Elliott found the end zone. The Cowboys fell victim to a ground game attack led by Marlon Mack. Just an odd, weird game back in 2018 that this was.
Before that, there was a 42-7 thumping delivered by the Cowboys in 2014 where they dominated in all facets. Tony Romo threw three first-half touchdowns on the way to a dominant victory for the ‘Boys.
This series is a bit streaky. The Colts won three of the first four before the Cowboys rattled off seven straight. After that, the teams have alternated three-game winning streaks. Could Dallas take back the winning streak in this matchup?