The Sports Wire

Commanders at Vikings

Prediction updated
Commanders at Vikings · Week 16 · Sun, Dec 27 · 12:00 PM CT

Our call: VikingsStrong

4 of 4 models favor the Vikings.

On average the models have the Vikings by 7.5 points, a 72% win chance.

Early prediction, updates weekly until kickoff.

Data through Week 5's games (the last played Mon, Oct 12), from nflverse play-by-play; nflverse last published it .

Washington Commanders (1–3–1) at Minnesota Vikings (5–0) Sun, Dec 27, 2026 Kickoff 12:00 PM CT Minnesota

Every model

ModelSaysWin chance
Consensus (our call)The average of Our model, Elo, SRS and ESPN FPI (whichever are there); the market is left out. This is our call.Vikings by 7.572%
Our model ExperimentalOur ratings from nflverse play-by-play: opponent-adjusted EPA per play, home field and the starting quarterback, frozen on the 2024 season and tested once on 2025. Experimental.Vikings by 1.855%
EloEvery team's Elo rating from every game since 1999 (FiveThirtyEight's method).Vikings by 1081%
SRSSimple Rating System: points scored minus allowed, adjusted for the schedule, blended with last season early on. Settings chosen by hand, not tuned.Vikings by 10.879%
ESPN FPIESPN's Football Power Index matchup predictor, read from ESPN before kickoff. Read in the week of the game.Available game week—
RecordThe team with the better record this season; equal records go to the home team. A winner only.Vikings—

Our model is experimental. Season so far (79 games, Weeks 1–4 reconstructed): it missed the final margin by 9.8 points on average, the market's margin by 9.8; ours was closer in 38 of 79. Scorecard →

Numbers to know

Starting quarterbacks

Not named yet. The quarterbacks we assume show here in game week: once every earlier game is in, or two days before Week 16's first kickoff.

Injuries

The official Week 16 injury report isn't out yet. It shows here once nflverse has it, in the week of the game.

Latest news

Washington Commanders

More Commanders news →

Minnesota Vikings

More Vikings news →

Headlines and a line or two from each outlet's own feed, linked to the original; the stories are theirs, not ours.

Matchup

Opponent-adjusted, from nflverse play-by-play, through Week 5 (the games played so far); league rank in brackets.

CommandersVikings
Net EPA per play−0.09 (26th)+0.05 (10th)
Offense, EPA per play−0.04 (21st)−0.08 (29th)
Defense, EPA per play allowed (lower is better)+0.06 (25th)−0.13 (1st)
Passing offense, EPA per dropback+0.03 (19th)−0.02 (25th)
Rushing offense, EPA per run−0.14 (23rd)−0.18 (28th)
Offense success rate40% (28th)36% (32nd)

Last 5 meetings

The Vikings won 4 of the last 5 meetings.

Dec 7, 2025Week 14, 2025Vikings 31, Commanders 0at Minnesota
Nov 6, 2022Week 9, 2022Vikings 20, Commanders 17at Washington
Oct 24, 2019Week 8, 2019Vikings 19, Commanders 9at Minnesota
Nov 12, 2017Week 10, 2017Vikings 38, Commanders 30at Washington
Nov 13, 2016Week 10, 2016Commanders 26, Vikings 20at Washington