The Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Raiders-Cowboys prediction and pick.
Surprisingly, both of these teams will enter this game following a loss. The Raiders are actually in the middle of a three-game skid, a stretch that includes a loss to the lowly New York Giants. Las Vegas desperately needs a win here if they want to keep contending in the AFC West.
For more insight on the Raiders-Cowboys matchup in Week 12, listen below:
Meanwhile, Dallas sits atop the NFC East despite their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Playing this struggling Raiders team is the perfect opportunity for the Cowboys to right the ship with a win.
Here are the Raiders-Cowboys odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Raiders-Cowboys Odds
Las Vegas Raiders: +7.5 (-110)
Dallas Cowboys: -7.5 (-110)
Over: 50.5 (-108)
Under: 50.5 (-112)
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Why The Raiders Could Cover The Spread
While the Cowboys have been winning games this year, it hasn't been because of their defense. Dallas currently ranks as the 20th-best pass defense in the league in terms of yardage per game while ranking 22nd in passing yards per attempt. Things get even worse for Dallas when considering the bevy of injuries this defense is dealing with. Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys' top two pass rushers, are both on injured reserve. The defensive line will be forced to start backups at key positions in this game, giving the Raiders a good opportunity for a strong offensive showing.
Dallas isn't completely healthy on the offensive side of the ball either. Star wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb are both likely to enter this game as questionable or worse, and running back Ezekiel Elliott is in the same boat. Left tackle Tyron Smith, who was sorely missed last week, could miss this game too. Overall, this Cowboys team won't be anywhere near full health when they play this game on a short week.
Why The Cowboys Could Cover The Spread
Despite their struggles against the pass, there's reason to think that the Cowboys' defense will hold up here. Las Vegas has been absolutely atrocious on offense lately, scoring a combined 43 points over their last three games. For context, the Raiders allowed 41 points in their game against the Kansas City Chiefs a couple of weeks ago. Vegas quarterback Derek Carr has turned the ball over at least once in each of the last three games while also never surpassing 300 yards in any of those contests. This is a pretty solid matchup for the Dallas defense.
The Cowboys have clearly had success winning games, both straight up and against the spread. Dallas is an incredible 8-2 ATS this year, a number that's good for the second-best ranking in the NFL. The Cowboys also own a 4-1 record against the spread when playing at home and a 2-0 record ATS when they come off of a loss. Things look pretty good for Dallas in this one, particularly when taking into account the fact that the Raiders are one of the worst teams in the league at covering the spread.
Final Raiders-Cowboys Prediction & Pick
With so many injury situations unresolved in this game, it's tough to pick either side of the spread with confidence. Instead, the under should cash comfortably here. The Raiders have been just awful on offense lately, and the Cowboys should be missing a ton of weapons here.
Final Raiders-Cowboys Pick: Under: 50.5 (-112)
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