The Seattle Seahawks will travel to AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas to take on the Cowboys. This NFL matchup will kick off at 4:25 PM/ET.
The Cowboys are coming off their third straight victory. Last week against the Raiders, Dallas pulled off the victory, withstanding a nail-biting finish. If not for the Raiders quarterback Derek Carr fumbling into the end zone, the Cowboys may have squandered their chance at a playoff spot. Dallas needs to win out and a few other teams to lose for them to have a shot at making the playoffs. With Ezekiel Elliot set to return, Dallas will have their entire offense at their disposal.
The Seahawks are coming off, potentially, their worst loss in franchise history at home. Seattle got shellacked by the Rams by a score of 42-7. The loss cemented Seattle’s fate behind the L.A. Rams as runner-ups in the NFC West. What’s worse, however, is the Seahawks are now on the precipice of missing the playoffs. The odds of Seattle making the playoffs is even slimmer than Dallas’ chances. If Seattle wins, they’ll need both the Falcons and Detroit to lose one of their last two games.
The Cowboys face a week 15 elimination game.
The Cowboys are getting Ezekiel Elliot back and just in time. Dallas has underperformed this season, despite high expectations. Quarterback Dak Prescott has struggled to lead the Cowboys to victory with Elliot sidelined. Even with Elliot, however, the Cowboys have struggled to win against elite opponents. If Dallas is to make the playoffs, then they’ll need to start playing at a higher level on both sides of the ball.
Last week against the Raiders, Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense struggled to get the ball into the end zone. Prescott forced a few passes and the result was two interceptions. Without Elliot behind Prescott, the Cowboys’ passing attack is a shell of its potential. With Elliot returning, look for Dallas to feed the beast and use play action to their benefit.
Seattle will miss the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Seattle has made a trip to the playoffs for the last five years. They’ve made it to the Super Bowl twice in that span and won it all back in 2013. The Seahawks over that span, aided largely by a stifling defense, made the playoffs and looked like contenders year in and year out. This year, however, the wheels fell off Seattle’s defense. Their defense is decimated with injuries. Last week, Seattle’s season finally imploded at the hands of their division rivals. That stunning defeat encapsulated what now seems inevitable. Seattle will likely miss the playoffs, ending a five-year stretch of being a perennial contender. Even worse for Seahawks fans, Seattle’s defense, their legendary “Legion of Boom” has perhaps suited up together for the last time.
The Seahawks offense, led by MVP candidate Russell Wilson, is carrying the entire team. Last week’s devastating loss indicates that despite Wilson’s great talents, he cannot carry this team to a title. Against the Cowboys, Seattle’s defense will have to make a last stand. According to NFL Stats, the Seahawks have the 17th ranked run defense. Seattle’s porous run defense will need to hope for Elliot to have some rust on his tires. If the Seahawks can force Dallas into throwing situations, then Seattle will have a shot at pulling off the upset on the road.
Cowboys vs Seahawks Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Cowboys favored to win the game by 4.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 47.5. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
Both Dallas and Seattle have an outside shot at making the playoffs. Both teams need a lot of help to continue playing into January. Before last week, Seattle would look like the better pick in this game. Russell Wilson has played like an MVP for most of the year, and his playoff experience makes him a solid bet. But last weeks’ total collapse at home is a head-scratcher; no team goes into Seattle and beats up the Seahawks like that, and yet the Rams did. While neither of these teams seems destined for a deep playoff run, the return of Elliot to Dallas’ backfield will certainly give them an edge. Go with the Cowboys to keep hope alive with a victory.
Play: Dallas -4.5 @ BetOnline.ag
2017 NFL Week 16 Betting Pick • Dallas Cowboys Betting Pick • Seattle Seahawks Betting Pick