The Sports Wire

Jaguars at Cowboys

Prediction updated
Jaguars at Cowboys · Week 16 · Sun, Dec 27 · 7:20 PM CT · NBC

Our call: JaguarsLean

4 of 4 models favor the Jaguars.

On average the models have the Jaguars by 4.6 points, a 64% 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 .

Jacksonville Jaguars (4–1) at Dallas Cowboys (2–3) Sun, Dec 27, 2026 Kickoff 7:20 PM CT on NBC Dallas

TV listings: ESPN

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.Jaguars by 4.664%
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.Jaguars by 0.752%
EloEvery team's Elo rating from every game since 1999 (FiveThirtyEight's method).Jaguars by 5.669%
SRSSimple Rating System: points scored minus allowed, adjusted for the schedule, blended with last season early on. Settings chosen by hand, not tuned.Jaguars by 7.571%
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.Jaguars—

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

Jacksonville Jaguars

More Jaguars news →

Dallas Cowboys

More Cowboys 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.

JaguarsCowboys
Net EPA per play+0.18 (2nd)−0.06 (23rd)
Offense, EPA per play+0.12 (3rd)+0.10 (6th)
Defense, EPA per play allowed (lower is better)−0.05 (4th)+0.16 (32nd)
Passing offense, EPA per dropback+0.25 (3rd)+0.16 (6th)
Rushing offense, EPA per run−0.05 (12th)−0.01 (5th)
Offense success rate47% (6th)47% (3rd)

Last 5 meetings

The Jaguars won 3 of the last 5 meetings.

Dec 18, 2022Week 15, 2022Jaguars 40, Cowboys 34at Jacksonville
Oct 14, 2018Week 6, 2018Cowboys 40, Jaguars 7at Dallas
Nov 9, 2014Week 10, 2014Cowboys 31, Jaguars 17neutral site
Oct 31, 2010Week 8, 2010Jaguars 35, Cowboys 17at Dallas
Sep 10, 2006Week 1, 2006Jaguars 24, Cowboys 17at Jacksonville