Cowboys vs. Vikings prediction, odds, time: ‘Sunday Night Football’ picks by proven model

Teams outside of the NFC playoff picture will meet on ‘Sunday Night Football’ when the Dallas Cowboys host the Minnesota Vikings. Dallas (6-6-1) is coming off a Thursday loss to Detroit, 44-30, which ended the Cowboys’ three-game win streak. Minnesota (5-8) ended a four-game slide with a stunning 31-0 victory over Washington in Week 14. The Vikings would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to Dallas. Jake Ferguson (calf) is active for the Cowboys, as is CeeDee Lamb who passed concussion protocol. OL Christian Darrisaw is inactive for Minnesota.

Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Dallas has won each of the last three meetings, which all came on the road. The latest Vikings vs. Cowboys odds have Dallas as 5.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 47.5 via SportsLine consensus. Dallas is 7-6 against the spread this season, while Minnesota is 5-8 versus the line. Before making any Cowboys vs. Vikings picks, check out the NFL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model entered Week 15 on a 50-35 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Vikings vs. Cowboys. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting trends for Cowboys vs. Vikings:

Why the Vikings can cover

Playing at home hasn’t been much of an advantage for the Cowboys in this series, as the Vikings sport a 7-2 record over their last nine regular season trips to Dallas. Last week saw Minnesota play its most complete game of the year, scoring its second-most points (31) while allowing its fewest (0) as J.J. McCarthy had his best game as a pro. The second-year QB had three passing touchdowns and no turnovers as he has a great chance of continuing that type of production versus Dallas’ 31st-ranked scoring defense, especially with it still missing CB Trevon Diggs (knee). The Cowboys rank dead last, however, in passing defense, with additional bottom-two rankings in both third-down defense and redzone defense. The Vikings’ defense is light years ahead of the Cowboys, with the former ranking No. 3 in the redzone and No. 4 against the pass. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

Why the Cowboys can cover

The Cowboys have covered in four of their last five home games in 2025, while the Vikings have dropped four of their last five, overall, versus the spread. Dallas’ success is predicated on its offense, which is elite, as Dak Prescott leads the NFL in both passing yards and QBR, as the Cowboys rank first in total yards and third in points scored. At home, the Cowboys are averaging 32.7 points, which is twice as much as the 16 ppg that the Vikings are averaging outside of Minneapolis. Additionally, no team has committed more turnovers than the Vikings, who also have the league’s second-worst turnover differential, and giving the ball away will only allow Dallas’ high-octane offense to put more points on the scoreboard. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Cowboys vs. Vikings picks

SportsLine’s model has simulated Vikings vs. Cowboys 10,000 times is going Over on the total, projecting 50 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations in an A-rated pick. You can only get the pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Cowboys vs. Vikings, and which side of the spread hits over 60% of the time in an A-rated pick? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vikings vs. Cowboys spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished up over $7,000 on its NFL picks since its inception, and find out.