Cowboys vs. Jaguars: 3 bold predictions for Sunday’s matchup

Week 15 is here. After a close win at home over the Texans, the Dallas Cowboys (10-3) hit the road to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8) this Sunday. The Cowboys have plenty to play for in this game, including being able to clinch a playoff berth with a win.

Before the Cowboys and Jaguars square off, here are three bold predictions for Sunday’s matchup.

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1) Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combine for over 150 rushing yards and each score a touchdown

The Jaguars’ defense started off the 2022 season as one of the best units in football against the run. Over Jacksonville’s first six games, opponents were averaging just 89 Y/G on the ground. The Jaguars even held two opponents, the Chargers and Colts, under 50 total rushing yards in a single game.

However, over the last seven games, the script has completely flipped. The Jaguars have surrendered an average of 138 Y/G on the ground over their previous seven matchups, giving up 150 or more three times. The Giants, who the Jaguars faced back in Week 7, gashed Jacksonville for an astonishing 236 yards on the ground.

This week the Jags’ struggles to stop the run will continue as they face one of the better rushing attacks in football. Dallas’ two-headed monster of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard will feast on the ground, totaling over 150 yards combined and each scoring a touchdown.

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2) Dallas’ offense struggles to take care of the football once again, turning the ball over twice

Since Dak Prescott’s return in Week 7, the only thing you can nitpick Dallas’ offense on is the turnovers. In the seven games they have had Prescott back for, Dallas has turned the ball over 10 times.

Despite the miscues, the Cowboys have played well enough to manage a 6-1 record during this span, showing how efficient their offense has been outside of the turnovers.

This Sunday they run into a Jaguars defense that is taking away the football at a solid rate. Over Jacksonville’s last six games their defense has recorded 11 takeaways. That’s more than the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints have recorded over their first 13 games.

Last week, in their dominating win over the Tennessee Titans, the Jags’ defense took the ball away four times, including forcing All-Pro running back Derrick Henry to fumble twice. Until the Cowboys show that they are capable of playing a turnover-free game on offense, there’s no reason to believe their struggles to take care of the football won’t continue.

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3) Trevon Diggs makes the biggest play of the day

For weeks Trevon Diggs has been close to making a highlight reel play. Last Sunday against the Texans he came close to returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown in one of the wackiest plays of the year.

This week he’s going to make the biggest play of the day.

Trevor Lawrence has done an outstanding job of taking care of the football over the Jaguars' last five games, but he falls back into his old habits, at least for one play, on Sunday. Diggs comes down with his fourth interception of the year, stopping the Jaguars on a potential game-winning drive and sealing the victory for the Cowboys.