Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2004 · Week 3 · Division

Final

Cowboys

Dallas

QB Vinny Testaverde

21·18

Commanders

Washington

QB Mark Brunell

FedExField · outdoors · grass · 72°F · wind 7mph

Closing spread

WAS -1.5

Total

35.5

Model margin

+0.1est.

WAS perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Commanders
  • Cowboys

How each play moved the game.

Commanders winsCowboys wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Cowboysedge mapCommanders
  • -0.050EPA / play-0.121
  • 42.6%Success rate38.9%
  • -0.005EPA / dropback-0.102
  • -0.108EPA / rush-0.145
  • 9.1%Explosive rate6.6%
  • 36.3%Third-down rate31.9%
  • 58.4%Red-zone TD rate56.8%
  • 1.44Points / drive1.03
  • 3.5%Turnover rate2.5%
  • +0.080EPA / play allowed-0.104

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

DAL lead 38–16 since 1999

DAL have won 2 straight. Meetings average 44.3 points. WAS are 23-31 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W17DAL @ WAS3023DAL
2025 · W7WAS @ DAL2244DAL
2024 · W18WAS @ DAL2319WAS
2024 · W12DAL @ WAS3426DAL
2023 · W18DAL @ WAS3810DAL
2023 · W12WAS @ DAL1045DAL
2022 · W18DAL @ WAS626WAS
2022 · W4WAS @ DAL1025DAL

Box score

Individual performances

Cowboys

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Vinny Testaverde14/2921410

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Eddie George11191.71
ReShard Lee4102.50
Vinny Testaverde1-1-1.00

Commanders

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Mark Brunell25/4332520

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Clinton Portis23944.10
Mark Brunell100.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +1.52.7%4.4%2.9%7.3%7.4%2.9%4.4%2.7%

Positive margins favour Commanders; negative favour Cowboys.

Half-point at risk

2.12%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

49.3%

Expected total

43.5est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+1.23
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment-3.70
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+0.10