Colts vs. Cowboys Odds & Prediction: Biggest Point Spread in Week 13 on SNF

The Cowboys (8-3 straight up/7-4 against the spread) enter this interconference game in high gear after back-to-back wins over Minnesota and the NY Giants. Dallas currently holds the top wild card and stands two games behind NFC East frontrunner, Philadelphia (9-1).

The Colts (4-7-1 SU/5-7 ATS) and interim coach Jeff Saturday, meanwhile, have had consecutive agonizing outings. They first lost to Philadelphia 17-16 after blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and then came Monday night’s 24-17 home loss as a 2.5-point favorite against Pittsburgh in which Saturday was heavily criticized for his clock management in the final minute.

As if the Colts weren’t in enough of a miserable mood, they also get this week’s atomic wedgie from the schedule makers.

Not only are they playing a team that’s gone 4-1 since the return of QB Dak Prescott, the league’s eighth-ranked passer, but the Colts are also working on a short work week that’s complicated by travel and playing a team that’s been off since Thanksgiving. It’s one of only two games this season that a team on short rest faces a team that played the previous Thursday.

But in Week 3, Indianapolis played host to a powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs team that was coming off such an extended break and prevailed 20-17 as a 4.5-point underdog.

Indy’s troubles are rooted on offense, where the line has been grilled by media commentators throughout the season. Those blocking woes have contributed to QB Matt Ryan having an awful debut season with the Colts after spending 14 years in Atlanta.

He’s been sacked 33 times in only nine games, which is tied for third-most in the league and is also tied for the league lead with 13 fumbles. And he’s thrown 10 INTs, one off the NFL high.

Plus, Jonathan Taylor, last year’s rushing champion, has missed two games due to injury and already has lost three fumbles in nine games, as many turnovers as he had in his previous 32 outings in 2020-21.

However, the defense has been stout, ranking sixth overall. But it wasn’t stout enough to stop Pittsburgh from rushing for 172 yards on Monday despite being without its top ball carrier (Najee Harris) most of the game.

Dallas’ offense is percolating well in all aspects, especially with RB Tony Pollard blossoming in recent weeks. He’s broken off three runs of 40-plus yards, tied for most in the league. And now that Ezekiel Elliott is back from injury, that’s one potent 1-2 punch.

WR CeeDee Lamb is a breakaway threat as well, with 16 catches of 20-plus yards, which is tied for third-most in the league.

Defensively, Dallas’ seventh-ranked unit should provide plenty of headaches for a Colts offense that ranks 26th and has scored more than 17 points in only one of its past six games.