Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams prediction, pick, odds for NFL preseason Week 1, Sun. 8/11

The Cowboys are favorites of either -4 or -4.5, depending on the book, with Dallas a -210 favorite on the moneyline. The Rams are +175 underdogs to win outright. The over/under is set at 35.5 total points scored.

Given all of that and my analysis below, I'm on the Cowboys to cover the spread as my Cowboys vs Rams pick for Sunday.

Cowboys vs. Rams Odds

Sunday, Aug. 11, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network

Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute NFL odds here.

John LanFranca's Cowboys vs. Rams Preview, Betting Analysis

Cooper Rush, Trey Lance Headline Cowboys Camp Battles

The Cowboys' backup quarterback competition is heating up, and that should pay dividends for the offense.

Cooper Rush has proven to be a capable backup and has had meaningful regular-season experience in his career. Rush is in a battle with the third overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft — Trey Lance.

Even Lance himself has acknowledged this is a big game for him. While Lance has only appeared in eight regular-season games in his career, it’s worth noting he has six touchdown passes and only two interceptions during his preseason days with the 49ers. I expect Lance to get an extended look on Sunday as the Cowboys try to figure out if he can become their long-term backup.

The Cowboys have competition at other positions that involve promising rookies. Left tackle Tyler Guyton, the Cowboys’ first-round pick, is in a camp battle with Chuma Edoga. While reports indicate Guyton is favored for the starting job, he was listed as a second-teamer on the team’s unofficial depth chart. The team will need to make further evaluations, thus having two possible starting caliber players anchoring the left side in this game is a definite boost.

Two more rookies vying for starting jobs should also get meaningful snaps in guard Cooper Beebe and linebacker Marist Liufau. Solid performances from each could lock down key roles entering the regular season.

Rams Banged Up Before Preseason Opener

Rams beat reporter JB Scott projected how Sean McVay will handle playing time in this preseason opener, and it doesn’t look pretty for the home team.

The position group most affected by health has been the offensive line as three potential key contributors are battling injuries. Scott predicts McVay will opt to rest the other top six offensive lineman in this game, meaning the Rams will be missing nine players up front who are likely to make the team. To make matters worse, the top four tight ends on the depth chart are also projected to be limited or sit out.

The two quarterbacks who should take the majority of snaps for the Rams are Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn. Bennett missed the majority of the 2023 season, thus this will be the first live game action he has seen in quite some time.

As for Winn, he has thrown only five passes in preseason action, averaging just 4.2 yards per attempt. The Rams quarterbacks lack experience and will have to navigate playing behind an unproven offensive line, even for preseason standards.

My Cowboys vs. Rams Prediction: Bet on Dallas to Cover

In preseason games since 2010, favorites of more than three points have covered at a 56% rate over a 274-game sample size, according to BetLabs. This includes two games during the opening week of games this year, as both favorites of more than three points covered on Thursday night.

Considering the competition up and down the Cowboys’ roster, along with Rams head coach Sean McVay’s conservative exhibition nature, I expect Dallas to be the team putting forth the better effort on Sunday afternoon.

Cowboys vs. Rams Pick: Cowboys to Cover the Spread

Pick: Cowboys -4