Two teams with major questions to answer will square off on Sunday night as the Dallas Cowboys visit the Oakland Raiders in prime time. Dallas has won two straight games in the NFC East, knocking off Washington and the New York Giants. Oakland lost to Kansas City on the road last week but, at 6-7, is still just a game out of the AFC West lead. Both of these teams desperately need this win to keep their postseason hopes alive. Will Dallas’ shaky defense be able to manage Oakland’s offense? Will Dallas’ offensive line take over the rhythm of the game like they did last year? Check out our NFL odds preview on this matchup.
Dallas at Oakland NFL Odds & Week 15 Betting Prediction
When: Sunday, December 17, 2017, 8:25pm ET Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland TV: NBC Radio: 105.3 FM (Dallas) / 95.7 The GAME (Oakland) Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Odds: Dallas (-3), O/U 45.5La’el, Hanna and Tyron all upgraded to limited today. Scandrick & Irving sat out of practice again. #cowboyswire pic.twitter.com/b9elYXAhQ8
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) December 14, 2017
Weather Forecast
- Clear: 11°C/51°F
- Humidity: 60%
- Precipitation: 0%
- Wind: 3 mph ENE
- Cloud Cover: 3%
- Type of Stadium: Open
Why should you bet on the Cowboys?
The Cowboys got linebacker Sean Lee back for their showdown with the Giants, and the dividends on defense were immediate. The Cowboys give up 8 points more per game when Lee is not in the lineup. His leadership in the middle of the field sets the tone for everyone else’s play. The Cowboys still have Orlando Scandrick (back) as questionable, and defensive tackle David Irving remains in the concussion protocol, but the Cowboys have the talent on the field to mount a pass rush that stops Denver. On offense, Dallas will still be missing Ezekiel Elliott, who has one more game in his six-game suspension. However, Alfred Morris and Rod Smith have done a solid job carrying the ball as a committee. Quarterback Dak Prescott has turned in good performances against Washington and New York. Against the Giants, Prescott threw for a season high 332 yards and three scores, going 20 for 30. If you like Dallas, you see that offense dominating the pace of the game against an Oakland team whose defense is not quite where it needs to be.Why should you put your money on the Raiders?
The Raiders signed tailback Marshawn Lynch in the offseason to jump-start their running game, but the results have been far from consistent, as Lynch has only gained 619 yards on the season, and backup Jalen Richard has only gained 233. That means that the onus of the offense falls on quarterback Derek Carr. Last year’s NFL MVP has struggled this year, with four games in which he threw multiple interceptions. He has thrown six picks in his last four games including two in the loss to Kansas City. Oakland’s defense has not played as well as they have last year, particularly when it comes to mounting a pass rush. Khalil Mack led a rush last year that gave opposing quarterbacks very little time in the pocket, and the defensive line was solid at shutting down running lanes. This year, breakdowns in the front seven have opened up the running game for opponents and made the secondary have to worry more about the running game too — which has opened up opportunities to throw the ball down the field. If you like the Raiders, then you see the Cowboys sinking back into that malaise where they spent the first three weeks of the Elliott suspension and forgetting their recent successes on defense.Latest NFL Betting Trends
- Dallas is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games on the road
- Dallas is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games on the road
- The total went UNDER in 5 of Dallas’s last 6 games
- Oakland is 1-4-1 ATS in the last 6 games
- Oakland is 9-3 SU in the last 12 games at home
- The total went UNDER in 4 of Oakland’s last 5 games
