Anshari TaslimSunday, December 14, presents a robust schedule across professional and collegiate sports, with significant playoff implications in the NFL, alongside pivotal matchups in the NBA, NHL, and NCAA men’s basketball. The marquee event of the evening sees the Dallas Cowboys host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football, a contest critical for Dallas’s increasingly fragile postseason aspirations.
NFL: Dallas Cowboys Host Minnesota Vikings in Critical NFC Showdown
The Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) return to AT&T Stadium following a disheartening 44-30 road loss to the Detroit Lions last week, a result that severely complicated their path to the 2025 NFL playoffs. After a three-game winning streak post-bye week, the defeat in Detroit pushed the Cowboys further down the NFC standings, making their postseason hopes reliant on external factors. Their most viable route to the playoffs remains securing the NFC East title, where they currently trail the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (8-5). The Eagles, however, enter Week 15 with a three-game losing streak, offering a glimmer of hope for Dallas.
Beyond the division, the NFC wild card race is equally challenging. The San Francisco 49ers (9-4) and Chicago Bears (9-4) presently occupy the final two wild card berths, holding a substantial lead over the Cowboys. A loss to the Vikings would effectively extinguish Dallas’s chances of claiming one of these spots. Even a victory would necessitate continued struggles from the Eagles, who face a favorable schedule ahead, hosting the 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday and playing the 3-10 Washington Commanders twice over the season’s final three weeks.
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The Minnesota Vikings (5-8), meanwhile, arrive in Arlington having snapped a four-game losing streak with a dominant 31-0 rout of the Washington Commanders last week. While their own playoff hopes are dim, the Vikings have an opportunity to play spoiler against a conference rival. Their defense will face a significant challenge in containing Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is expected to play after exiting last week’s contest against the Lions with a concussion. Prior to his departure in the second quarter, the 26-year-old wideout was exceptionally productive, hauling in six passes for 121 yards. His presence will be crucial for the Cowboys’ offensive attack.
Historically, the Cowboys have found success against the Vikings, winning five of their last six matchups. Their most recent encounter in 2022 saw Dallas dominate Minnesota 40-3 on the road, outgaining them 458-183 in total yards. This victory marked their largest margin of win against the Vikings in that six-game span. For Sunday’s prime-time clash, the Cowboys are listed as 5.5-point favorites in the latest consensus NFL odds. The SportsLine Projection Model indicates a high confidence in a comfortable Cowboys victory, covering the spread in 61% of its simulations. SportsLine fantasy football expert Dave Richard, who boasts an 11-2 record (+980) on his last 13 NFL player prop picks, projects Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy to exceed 28.5 pass attempts, anticipating Minnesota’s ground attack may struggle against Dallas’s defense, forcing a pass-heavy approach. The game is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET at Arlington, Texas, broadcast nationally on NBC and available for streaming via Fubo.
NBA: Warriors and Trail Blazers Meet in Portland
The NBA schedule features eight games on Sunday, with a Western Conference matchup between the Golden State Warriors (13-13) and the Portland Trail Blazers (9-16) at 9 p.m. ET at the Moda Center. The Trail Blazers enter the contest having lost six of their last seven games, yet they hold a surprising 2-0 record against the Warriors this season, having won both previous meetings.
Golden State has experienced an inconsistent season, reflected in their .500 record. While they have exceeded their season average of 113.7 points in their last two outings, they previously scored 112 points or fewer in five consecutive contests, highlighting offensive fluctuations. Portland, despite their overall struggles, has shown flashes of offensive capability, surpassing their 117.5-point average in three of their last five games. The previous two meetings between these teams this campaign saw combined scores of 250 points or more.
Despite the high-scoring history this season, the SportsLine Projection Model forecasts the total score to fall Under 234.5 points in nearly 71% of its simulations for Sunday’s game, suggesting a more defensive battle or slower pace. The Warriors are established as 4.5-point favorites. SportsLine expert Bruce Marshall, with a strong record of 33-19 (+1206) on his last 52 NBA Against The Spread (ATS) picks, favors Golden State to cover the 4-point spread, citing the Trail Blazers’ recent struggles and the return of Stephen Curry from a quad injury. Curry proved highly effective in the first two encounters against Portland, averaging 36.5 points. The game will be available on NBA League Pass and streamable via Fubo.
NHL: Edmonton Oilers Visit Montreal Canadiens
Six NHL games are on the docket for Sunday, including an Eastern Conference clash between the Montreal Canadiens (16-11-4) and the Edmonton Oilers (15-11-6) at the Bell Centre at 7 p.m. ET. Both teams were in action on Saturday, with the Oilers extending their point streak to five games with a decisive 6-3 road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens, conversely, are coming off an overtime loss to the New York Rangers.
Edmonton’s road triumph in Toronto underscores their recent momentum, but their overall away record remains modest at 7-8-3. Montreal, despite a slightly better overall record, has struggled recently both generally (1-2-1) and at home (1-3-0) over their last four contests. Despite Edmonton’s current hot streak and superior performance in their immediate prior game, the SportsLine Projection Model anticipates the Oilers’ run will conclude in Montreal. The model projects the Canadiens to win in 54% of its simulations, favoring them at +109 on the money line, while the Oilers are -130 favorites. The game will be televised on NHL Network and available for streaming on Fubo.
College Basketball: Washington State Travels to USC
A full slate of college basketball games also takes place on Sunday, highlighted by a matchup between the Washington State Cougars (3-7) and the USC Trojans (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. The Cougars arrive in Southern California amidst a four-game losing streak and have struggled against strong competition, losing seven of their nine games played against teams with records above .500.
USC, on the other hand, has had a strong start to their season, quickly rebounding from their sole defeat with a convincing 94-81 triumph over San Diego in their last outing. A key factor in USC’s success has been the consistent offensive production of senior guard Chad Baker-Mazara. Against San Diego, Baker-Mazara delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 31 points on 8-of-11 shooting. This marked his fourth consecutive game and sixth this season in which he has surpassed the 21-point mark. Baker-Mazara is currently ranked fifth nationally in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game.
Given Washington State’s recent struggles and USC’s strong home record and offensive firepower, the Trojans are listed as 14.5-point favorites. The SportsLine Projection Model supports this outlook, with USC covering the -14.5 spread in 56% of its simulations, largely driven by Baker-Mazara’s anticipated continued high-level play. The game will be broadcast on FS1 and streamable via Fubo.
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