Cowboys vs. Raiders Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 2 Odds, Prediction
The Cowboys opened their August schedule with a narrow 13-12 road loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend and have now fallen to defeat in five of their past six preseason contests on the road. The Raiders return home after falling 24-23 last weekend in Minnesota and now ride their first two-game losing streak since 2017.
The Raiders are listed as 6.5-point home favourites on the NF Preseason Week 2 odds. The Cowboys lag as +240 NFL moneyline underdogs and the total for Saturday’s clash is pegged at 39.5.
NFL Preseason Point Spread and Betting
These two teams are facing off in NFL Preseason action for a second straight year. The Cowboys rolled to a 31-16 home victory a year ago and have now claimed victory in seven of their past 10 August dates with the Raiders. Recent preseason meetings between these teams have feature lots of scoring, with the total reaching 44 or higher in their past two dates. However, the Cowboys have struggled to generate offence in recent preseason road games, scoring more than 16 points just once in their past nine. That has contributed to their brutal overall record in the preseason, posting just four wins in 19 games since 2017. Despite losing their past two August contests, the Raiders have been mostly reliable in preseason action, winning their previous six and 13 of their past 17.
Dallas Cowboys
The pressure will be on Trey Lance on Saturday to make his case to be Dak Prescott’s backup. Lance led the Dallas offence in all but one series in last week’s loss to the Rams, connecting on 25 of 41 pass attempts for 188 yards, but failed to find the end zone. Lance enters the weekend in a pitched battle with Cooper Rush for the backup job and will need a big performance on Saturday if he is to displace the wily veteran. However, Lance will likely have to make do once again with an offensive line staffed by rookies like first-round pick Tyler Guyton and third-rounder Cooper Beebe, which allowed him to get sacked three times last week.
Las Vegas Raiders
The battle for the starting quarterback job is set to heat up on Saturday night versus the Cowboys. Journeyman Gardner Minshew took most of the snaps in last weekend’s loss to the Vikings, going 6-for-12 for 117 yards and one touchdown. However, Aidan O’Connell’s performance last weekend cannot be overlooked. O’Connell, who closed out last season as the team’s starter, opened last week’s contest versus the Vikings by leading the Raiders on an impressive 83-yeard drive before a sack forced the squad to settle for a field goal. With 14 receivers at camp, Raiders fans should not expect Davante Adams or Jakobi Meyers on Saturday. However, undrafted rookie receiver Ramel Keyton has reportedly turned heads at camp and could be in line for a long look against the Cowboys.