Game story
In Week 15 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-12-16, the Indianapolis Colts took care of business against the Dallas Cowboys, pulling away with a 23–0 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) paced the passing game, with -13.54 total EPA, and -7.6% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, A. Luck (Indianapolis Colts) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +9.70 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-9.5% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Dallas Cowboys changed the game: (10:02) 2-B.Maher 48 yard field goal is BLOCKED (96-D.Autry), Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones, RECOVERED by IND-53-D.Leonard at DAL 44. 53-D.Leonard for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Officia
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 7 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 A. Luck · Indianapolis Colts · Passing · +9.70 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.29 EPA/play
- 2 T. Hilton · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +5.04 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.63 EPA/play
- 3 E. Elliott · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +2.43 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.30 EPA/play
- 4 N. Hines · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +1.97 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.33 EPA/play
- 5 D. Schultz · Dallas Cowboys · Receiving · +1.20 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.30 EPA/play
- 6 R. Grant · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +1.06 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.53 EPA/play
- 7 A. Cooper · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +0.70 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
- 8 M. Mack · Indianapolis Colts · Receiving · +0.61 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.61 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
A. Luck — IND · Passing
A. Luck posted the highest total EPA (+9.70) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Indianapolis Colts's efficiency. Across 34 counted snaps, they averaged +0.29 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.18 EPA) came from Dallas Cowboys: (10:02) 2-B.Maher 48 yard field goal is BLOCKED (96-D.Autry), Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones, RECOVERED by IND-53-D.Leonard at DAL 44. 53-D.Leonard for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the runne
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Indianapolis Colts — M. Mack
- Indianapolis Colts — M. Mack
Field goals
- Indianapolis Colts — A. Vinatieri
- Indianapolis Colts — A. Vinatieri
- Indianapolis Colts — A. Vinatieri
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Indianapolis Colts won the period 7–0. Indianapolis Colts found the end zone from the DAL 1 (Q1 51:13) — (6:13) (Shotgun) 25-M.Mack up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Indianapolis Colts added 1 points from the DAL 15 (Q1 51:09) — 4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez..
The second quarter: Indianapolis Colts won the period 3–0. Indianapolis Colts connected on a field goal from the DAL 25 (Q2 30:02) — (:02) 4-A.Vinatieri 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez..
The third quarter: Indianapolis Colts won the period 10–0. Indianapolis Colts found the end zone from the DAL 6 (Q3 26:27) — (11:27) (Shotgun) 25-M.Mack up the middle for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Indianapolis Colts added 1 points from the DAL 15 (Q3 26:23) — 4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez.; Indianapolis Colts connected on a field goal from the DAL 26 (Q3 16:41) — (1:41) 4-A.Vinatieri 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez..
The fourth quarter: Indianapolis Colts won the period 3–0. Indianapolis Colts connected on a field goal from the DAL 5 (Q4 7:01) — (7:01) 4-A.Vinatieri 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 55:02) — (10:02) 2-B.Maher 48 yard field goal is BLOCKED (96-D.Autry), Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones, RECOVERED by IND-53-D.Leonard at DAL 44. 53-D.Leonard for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Officia
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 44:20) — (14:20) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott pass incomplete short left to 49-J.Olawale.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 33:48) — (3:48) 75-C.Fleming reported in as eligible. 21-E.Elliott left tackle to IND 38 for 3 yards (23-K.Moore II).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 57:01) — (12:01) 45-R.Smith left tackle to IND 36 for 10 yards (30-G.Odum).
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 32:27) — (2:27) (Shotgun) 4-D.Prescott sacked at IND 47 for -10 yards (94-T.Lewis).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 55:02) — (10:02) 2-B.Maher 48 yard field goal is BLOCKED (96-D.Autry), Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones, RECOVERED by IND-53-D.Leonard at DAL 44. 53-D.Leonard for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Officia
- Indianapolis Colts (Q4 4:12) — (4:12) 62-L.Clark reported in as eligible. 25-M.Mack left end to IND 39 for -2 yards (51-C.Reid). FUMBLES (51-C.Reid), RECOVERED by DAL-93-D.Ross at IND 35. 93-D.Ross to IND 35 for no gain (78-R.Kelly
- Dallas Cowboys (Q2 44:15) — (14:15) 21-E.Elliott left tackle to IND 5 for -2 yards (35-P.Desir). FUMBLES (35-P.Desir), and recovers at IND 5. DAL-76-X.Su'a-Filo was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.
- Indianapolis Colts (Q3 21:24) — (6:24) (Shotgun) 12-A.Luck pass deep right to 13-T.Hilton to DAL 47 for 37 yards (38-J.Heath).
Quarterback report card
D.Prescott led all passers in efficiency for Dallas Cowboys, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) · 46 dropbacks · 52.2% completion · -7.6% CPOE · -0.29 EPA/play · -13.54 total EPA
- A.Luck (Indianapolis Colts) · 34 dropbacks · 47.1% completion · -9.5% CPOE · +0.29 EPA/play · +9.70 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Dallas Cowboys | Indianapolis Colts |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.233 | +0.103 |
| Offensive success rate | 41.8% | 48.1% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.294 | +0.285 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.027 | -0.109 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.103 | +0.233 |
| Defensive success rate | 51.9% | 58.2% |
By the numbers
Indianapolis Colts held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.10 vs -0.23), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Dallas Cowboys: 7 drives, -18.45 total EPA, 0 scoring drives
- Indianapolis Colts: 8 drives, +8.16 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Indianapolis Colts leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- A. Luck (Indianapolis Colts) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Prescott (DAL) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- A. Luck (IND) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Indianapolis Colts TD (+6) — Q1 51:13 · DAL 1 · Score 0-6
(6:13) (Shotgun) 25-M.Mack up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Indianapolis Colts XP (+1) — Q1 51:09 · DAL 15 · Score 0-7
4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez. - Indianapolis Colts FG (+3) — Q2 30:02 · DAL 25 · Score 0-10
(:02) 4-A.Vinatieri 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez. - Indianapolis Colts TD (+6) — Q3 26:27 · DAL 6 · Score 0-16
(11:27) (Shotgun) 25-M.Mack up the middle for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Indianapolis Colts XP (+1) — Q3 26:23 · DAL 15 · Score 0-17
4-A.Vinatieri extra point is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez. - Indianapolis Colts FG (+3) — Q3 16:41 · DAL 26 · Score 0-20
(1:41) 4-A.Vinatieri 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez. - Indianapolis Colts FG (+3) — Q4 7:01 · DAL 5 · Score 0-23
(7:01) 4-A.Vinatieri 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-L.Rhodes, Holder-2-R.Sanchez.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
The Indianapolis Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys 23-0 in Week 15, 2018 on 2018-12-16.
What was the final score of Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
The final score was Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 23 (DAL 0-23 IND) in Week 15, 2018 on 2018-12-16.
What was the score by quarter in Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
Q1: Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 7; Q2: Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 3; Q3: Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 10; Q4: Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 3; Final: Dallas Cowboys 0, Indianapolis Colts 23.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
Indianapolis Colts touchdown — M. Mack (Q1 51:13) Indianapolis Colts touchdown — M. Mack (Q3 26:27) Indianapolis Colts field goal — A. Vinatieri (Q2 30:02, 3 pts) Indianapolis Colts field goal — A. Vinatieri (Q3 16:41, 3 pts) Indianapolis Colts field goal — A. Vinatieri (Q4 7:01, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
D. Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), 52.2% completion, -7.6% CPOE, -0.29 EPA per dropback, -13.54 total passing EPA. A. Luck (Indianapolis Colts), 47.1% completion, -9.5% CPOE, +0.29 EPA per dropback, +9.70 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Dallas Cowboys vs Indianapolis Colts?
A. Luck (Indianapolis Colts) led the game in total EPA with +9.70 on passing plays. across 34 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.18 EPA): (10:02) 2-B.Maher 48 yard field goal is BLOCKED (96-D.Autry), Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-6-C.Jones, RECOVERED by IND-53-D.Leonard at DAL 44. 53-D.Leonard for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The biggest win-probability swing was -9.5%.
Season records after this game
Dallas Cowboys
Entered 8-5 Now 8-6 L
Indianapolis Colts
Entered 7-6 Now 8-6 W
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