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Wk 9 · 2026

Dallas Cowboys at Indianapolis Colts — Sun, Nov 8

Sun, Nov 8 · Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN · Fox

Weather

This one is played indoors. There is nothing to forecast.
NFC East · 2-3
at
1:00pET
DAL -1.5 · total 52.5 DraftKings
Ratings differential IND by 2.2
AFC South · 2-3

What is at stake

An interconference game, NFC against AFC. It counts in both overall records — which is what seeding is settled on first — and in neither team’s division or conference record.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 1.7 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have been through a draft and a free-agency window since.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Cowboys: -0.9#20
Efficiency margin
Colts: -0.4#18
Cowboys: +3.1#4
Offense
Colts: +2.0#10
Cowboys: -4.0#31
Defense
Colts: -2.3#27
Cowboys: 27.7
Points / game
Colts: 27.4
Cowboys: 30.1
Points allowed / game
Colts: 24.2
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats

The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.

Cowboys form

L 16-24vs TBW 34-30at HOUL 31-34vs BALW 37-20vs WSHL 20-28at NYG
2026 season

Colts form

L 22-34at PITW 30-13at WSHW 19-17vs HOUL 30-33at KCL 23-41vs BAL
2026 season

Cowboys this season

Straight up2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Against the spread2-2-1 · 50% (5 games)
Over / under4-1 · 80% (5 games)

Colts this season

Straight up2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Against the spread3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Over / under3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 7

OpponentCowboysColts
Giants
NFC
at L 20-28 previewvs Wk 12 · scheduled preview
Commanders
NFC
vs W 37-20 previewN W 30-13 preview
Ravens
AFC
N L 31-34 previewvs L 23-41 preview
Texans
AFC
at W 34-30 previewvs W 19-17 preview
Eagles
NFC
at Wk 7 · scheduled previewat Wk 14 · scheduled preview
Titans
AFC
vs Wk 11 · scheduled previewvs Wk 6 · scheduled preview
Jaguars
AFC
vs Wk 16 · scheduled previewat Wk 8 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Cowboys leads 4–1 · Cowboys won the last one
5 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 11.4 points toward Cowboys
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20222022-12-04Colts 19 — 54 Cowboysat DALCowboys
20182018-12-16Cowboys 0 — 23 Coltsat INDColts
20142014-12-21Colts 7 — 42 Cowboysat DALCowboys
20102010-12-05Cowboys 38 — 35 Coltsat INDCowboys
20062006-11-19Colts 14 — 21 Cowboysat DALCowboys

Cowboys leaders 2026 regular season

PassingDak Prescott QB #4105/150, 1065 YDS, 8 TD, 1 INT
RushingJavonte Williams RB #3362 CAR, 231 YDS, 5 TD
Dak Prescott QB #412 CAR, 66 YDS
Tyler Goodson RB #259 CAR, 34 YDS
ReceivingCeeDee Lamb WR #8837 REC, 498 YDS, 4 TD
George Pickens WR #318 REC, 225 YDS
Ryan Flournoy WR #1913 REC, 104 YDS
Jake Ferguson TE #8712 REC, 83 YDS, 3 TD
Defense
TacklesCaleb Downs S #1329
Dee Winters LB #5325
Jaishawn Barham LB #5521
SacksQuinnen Williams DT #921
Rashan Gary LB #71
Caleb Downs S #131

Colts leaders 2026 regular season

PassingDaniel Jones QB #1784/132, 754 YDS, 3 TD, 4 INT
RushingJonathan Taylor RB #2886 CAR, 353 YDS, 6 TD
Seth McGowan RB #2012 CAR, 45 YDS
Daniel Jones QB #1711 CAR, 21 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingJosh Downs WR #217 REC, 202 YDS
Tyler Warren TE #8423 REC, 130 YDS, 2 TD
Laquon Treadwell WR #139 REC, 123 YDS
Keenan Allen WR #1013 REC, 100 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesAkeem Davis-Gaither LB #5137
Justin Walley CB #2722
Bryce Boettcher LB #5020
SacksDeForest Buckner DT #993
Adetomiwa Adebawore DT #952
Jerry Tillery DT #941
InterceptionsJaylon Carlies LB #571
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.