Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4). Jim Rassol / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL Week 17 (Saturday): Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions betting picks, preview

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated Dec 29, 2023 10:48 PM ET

The Week 17 weekend slate kicks off with a Saturday night special between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions, and we can't wait to watch this pivotal battle between two top NFC contenders. Let's break down the matchup and target spread and total bets for Cowboys-Lions.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions betting odds, preview

Spread: Cowboys -5.5, Over/under: 52, Moneyline: Cowboys -250 | Lions +205

The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing loss to the Miami Dolphins that may have knocked them out of the NFC East race, but the good news is they get to return home for their Week 17 date with the Lions. Dallas has been dominant at home all season, as it has gone 6-1 against the spread at Jerry World with an average cover margin of 15.2 points. That's by far the best home mark in the NFL.

They also get a friendly matchup against a Lions secondary that ranks 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per completion. Detroit gave up 411 passing yards to Nick Mullens last week, so Dak Prescott should be in store for a monster game throwing the football.

As for the Lions, they just clinched their first NFC North title since 1993, and a win this week would keep their hopes of grabbing the No. 1 seed alive. The path to success on Saturday night will be to run the rock with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Dallas let James Cook run wild for 179 yards and a touchdown two weeks ago, and the Lions present a much more potent rushing attack.

Both offenses should roll in this one, which is why the total is set at a sky-high 52.

Cowboys vs. Lions betting picks

Lions +5.5 (-108 DraftKings)

The reason this spread is closer to +7 than it is to +3 is that the Cowboys have been so dominant on their home field. Jared Goff has also struggled on the road throughout his career, but this should be more familiar territory in a dome.

Detroit will be able to run the ball consistently and control the clock. If the defense can force a turnover or two, the Lions will be live to win this game outright. We'll take the points here.

Over 52 (-110 Caesars)

This is a massive total, but we don't see many defensive stops in this matchup. The Cowboys lead the NFL with a scoring average of 39.9 points per game at home, and we don't see that changing against one of the worst passing defenses in the league.

The Lions can struggle to score away from Ford Field, but they're averaging 32.1 points over their last seven dome games. In perfect conditions for points, these two offenses are going to shine.

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Jack Dougherty

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports. com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting. com

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