When the Lions (11-4) travel to take on the Cowboys (10-5) in Dallas for Saturday night's special "MNF" game (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), some key NFC seeding will be on the line.
Detroit stands currently as the No. 3 seed having already won the NFC North. Dallas, which has locked down a wild-card berth but is trying to catch the Eagles to win the NFC East, is No. 5.
The Lions need the win to put the No. 1 seed pressure on the 49ers and Eagles in their Week 17 games. The Cowboys need the win to stay alive in the division race and have a shot at a home playoff game.
MORE LIONS-COWBOYS: DK lineup | Best props
With those stakes in mind, here's a betting preview and prediction between the monumental matchup of two offensive-minded NFC title contenders:
Lions vs. Cowboys odds, spread, over/under
(All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)
Spread: Lions +5.5 (-110) | Cowboys -5.5 (-105)
Over/Under: OVER 52 (-110) | UNDER 52(-110)
Moneyline: Lions +205 | Cowboys -250
The Lions have been less than six-point underdogs throughout the week given neither team has any notable injuries affecting the projected point separation. The Cowboys are 7-0 overall at home this season and 6-1 against the spread, with the playoff-contending Seahawks being the only road team to cover.
Should you bet the Cowboys against the spread vs. the Lions?
The Cowboys have enough defensive holes vs. the run and pass to think the Lions will have success moving the ball. They tend to give up some shot plays downfield and also can give up chunk rushes. That bodes well for Detroit, which will protect Jared Goff well to take shots and win up front with their run blocking.
The Lions are a dominant run-stopping team, so pushing the Cowboys more into one-dimensional passing helps a lot to keep it close. Dak Prescott and Goff will go back and forth in what figures to be a one-possession that comes down to a late field goal.
Our Pick: Lions +5.5 (-110)
Should you bet the Lions on the moneyline vs. the Cowboys?
The Lions have too many issues in their pass defense to trust to finish vs. Prescott. The Cowboys also have some ballhawks that can curb a few Goff scoring chances via interception. They also have the money kicker at home in Brandon Aubrey to help make the late difference.
Our pick: Cowboys -250
Should you bet the Lions-Cowboys OVER?
This number is a little high even though there should be plenty of offense, but some strong rushing by the Lions and some red-zone stalls by both teams will keep this game from hitting the OVER.
Our Pick: UNDER 52 (-110)
Final score prediction: Cowboys 27, Lions 24
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