5 AI-Powered Predictions for Cowboys vs. Commanders, NFL Week 18
With a win over the Washington Commanders (4-12), the Dallas Cowboys (11-5) will have the opportunity to secure the NFC East Division title in the nation’s capital.
With one week remaining in the NFL regular season, the Cowboys have a 98 percent chance of wearing caps and t-shirts when they board the team buses on Sunday afternoon, according to the Heavy Sports AI-powered projections model, which is provided by our colleagues at Quarter 4.
Before Sunday’s game, have a look at these five AI-powered predictions:
Dak Prescott Lights Up the Commanders
The Heavy Sports model expects Dak Prescott to put on a show with a division title on the line, who is projected to surpass his season average in passing attempts, completions, passing yards, and longest completion.
Prescott Projections: 38.7 Passing Attempts, 25.7 Completions, 286.4 Passing Yards, 1.9 Touchdowns, 43.3 Longest Pass, 66.3 Completion Percentage.
With the exception of a blowout Cowboys loss in Buffalo to the Bills, these numbers would be in line with a strong finishing stretch from Prescott. Prescott surpassed 250 yards in five of the past six weeks, including a 345-yard outburst in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions.
Prescott’s totals the past six weeks:
- 68.4 completion percentage with 345 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception in a 20-19 win over the Lions.
- 62.5 completion percentage with 253 passing yards, 2 touchdowns in a 22-20 loss to the Dolphins.
- 61.8 completion percentage with 134 passing yards and 1 interception in a 31-10 loss to the Bills.
- 61.5 completion percentage with 271 passing yards and 2 touchdowns in a 33-13 win over the Eagles.
- 70.7 completion percentage with 299 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 41-35 win over the Seahawks.
- 68.8 completion percentage with 331 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 45-10 win over the Commanders.
2. Brian Robinson Jr. Runs Roughshod over Dallas
The Cowboys’ Achilles heel this season has been the rushing defense, and the Heavy Sports model expects Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. to take full advantage in the season finale.
Against Dallas, the Heavy Sports model projects Robinson to surpass each of his season averages, in one of his strongest efforts of the 2023 campaign.
Robinson Projections: 13.2 Rushing Attempts for 65 yards, 0.7 Touchdowns, 20.6 Yard Longest Carry, 3.4 Receptions for 40.7 Yards, 22.6 Longest Reception, 38.5 Yards after The Catch.
Robinson Jr. enters Week 18 rushing for 708 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 4.2 yards per carry through 14 games.
Meanwhile, Dallas is currently the No. 20-ranked rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 116.25 yards per game, the worst among teams that have clinched a postseason berth in the NFC, which could open the door for the Robinson Jr. breakout our model predicts.
3. CeeDee Lamb Finishes Strong
CeeDee Lamb aims to put an exclamation point on the most prolific season of his young career, on Sunday afternoon.
Lamb has already set the Cowboys’ franchise record for receptions and receiving yards in a single season, and our model expects the 24-year-old deep threat to significantly add to those totals.
Lamb Projections: 8.4 Receptions for 112.9 Yards with 1.2 Touchdowns, and 41.3 Yards Longest Reception.
Against the commanders on Thanksgiving, Lamb was held to four receptions for 53 yards with one touchdown.
However, entering Week 18 with 122 receptions for 1,651 yards and 10 touchdowns, the Heavy Sports model projects Lamb to surpass each of his season averages in each of the categories listed above.
4. Jake Ferguson’s Ascent Continues
Second-year tight end Jake Ferguson has emerged as a reliable weapon for Prescott and the Cowboys’ passing game in 2023.
Closing in on a 700-yard sophomore season, our model expects Ferguson to surpass his season averages in every major statistical category.
Ferguson Projections: 5 Receptions for 61.9 Yards and 0.5 Touchdowns with a 24.3 Yard Longest Reception.
If Prescott is going to have the kind of performance our model expects, Ferguson figures to be a beneficiary. Ferguson enters Sunday’s contest with 65 receptions for 692 yards and five touchdowns in 2023.
5. More Convincing Victory Than Las Vegas Expects
The Cowboys winning the division and handling business is what the Heavy Sports model is all about.
Dallas is a prohibitive favorite according to our estimates going into Sunday, with a 15-point advantage—two points more than any of the big sports bookies. Similarly, the model does not think highly of Washington’s offense, as evidenced by the fact that the total is almost three points below Vegas’ average prediction.
Leave a Reply