Cowboys vs. Seahawks Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 2 Odds, Prediction
The host Seahawks are deemed -7.0 favourites on the NFL preseason odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
When the NFL used to have four preseason games, coaches would generally play their starters the most in the second-to-last one. Now that they are three and this is the second-to-last one … honestly, there is no consensus any longer.
These were both playoff clubs last season – and lost to San Francisco. That was hugely unexpected for Seattle after trading away franchise QB Russell Wilson to Denver in the 2022 offseason, but Geno Smith had a career year in his place and won NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The Seahawks were pounded by the 49ers 41-23 in the Wild Card round. Dallas was expected to be a playoff team and pretty much always is – and should be again in 2023. The Cowboys played the Niners much tougher but lost 19-12.
Dallas hosted Seattle to close the 2022 preseason and the Seahawks prevailed 27-26. Smith didn’t play much but backup Drew Lock did and threw three picks. Smith was named the regular-season starter almost immediately after. These clubs play in Dallas this year on Nov. 30, so I would expect two very vanilla gameplans Saturday.
The underdog is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings.
Dallas Cowboys
Your first question surely will be whether Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will play. Almost surely not because he hasn’t played in the preseason since 2019. The only disclaimer I might add is that there’s a new offensive play-caller this year – head coach Mike McCarthy – so maybe he wants to see his first-team offence in one series, but likely not.
Dallas lost its preseason opener 28-23 at home last Saturday vs. Jacksonville. Third-string QB Will Grier had two touchdown passes, while backup Cooper Rush was 10-for-12 for 83 yards. There’s really no competition there. The team is really high on rookie running back Deuce Vaughn out of Kansas State, and he had eight carries for 50 yards and a TD. He could work himself into a solid role (assuming makes the team) behind No. 1 Tony Pollard now that Ezekiel Elliott is in New England.
The Cowboys avoided a major scare when star pass-rusher Micah Parsons tweaked a leg in practice this week, but he’s fine. Parsons has been runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons and is this year’s favourite. Doubt he plays (if he was going to) after that scare. McCarthy is 29-29 in his preseason career.
Seattle Seahawks
Spreads of at least 7 points are somewhat unusual in a preseason game. Seattle is 27-20 all-time in them under Pete Carroll following last week’s 24-13 home win over Minnesota. Starting QB Geno Smith didn’t play and no word as of this writing if he will Saturday.
Backup Drew Lock looked good in completing 17 of 24 for 191 yards and two TDs, while rookie Holton Ahlers was 4-for-4 for 43 yards and a TD. Should be those two again with perhaps Ahlers getting more run this time. Carroll only played five starters in the opener, two on the offensive line and three on defence. We will see more than that Saturday at a minimum, but not injured No. 1 running back Kenneth Walker III.
DAL
SEA