Cowboys vs. Lions odds, spread, line: Week 17 NFL picks, Saturday predictions, best bets by expert who’s 22-6

The Dallas Cowboys (10-5) are hosting the Detroit Lions (11-4) in a Week 17 battle with significant postseason implications on Saturday. The Lions have won three of their past four games, notching a 30-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. That victory helped the Lions secure their first division title since 1993. On the opposite sideline, Dallas has dropped two consecutive games. Last week, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Cowboys 22-20. 

Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET in Dallas. Dallas is a 5.5-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 52 in the latest Lions vs. Cowboys odds via SportsLine consensus. Before making any Lions vs. Cowboys picks, you need to see what proven SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein has to say, considering his mastery of picks involving the Cowboys.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Those selections form the basis of his weekly SportsLine NFL best bets, which are 65-41-2 since the start of last season, including a 10-2 record the last four weeks.

Hartstein also has a read on the pulse of the Cowboys. In fact, he is 22-6 (+1525) on his last 28 against-the-spread picks in games involving Dallas. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Hartstein has his sights set on Lions vs. Cowboys and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Now, here are several NFL odds and trends for Lions vs. Cowboys:

• Cowboys vs. Lions spread: Dallas -6 
• Cowboys vs. Lions over/under: 53.5 points  
• Cowboys vs. Lions money line: Dallas -268, Detroit +218 
• DET: The Lions have hit the 1H ML in 14 of their last 20 games 
• DAL: The Cowboys have hit the 1H Game Total Over in their last 9 games at home 
• Cowboys vs. Lions picks: See picks at SportsLine 
• Cowboys vs. Lions live stream: fubo (try for free) 

Why Lions can cover

The Lions’ offense can attack defenses in a multitude of ways. They have a physical offensive line with many weapons in the backfield and on the perimeter. Detroit is third in the NFL in total offense (394.1), fifth in passing offense (253) and third in rushing offense (141.1). Additionally, they are fifth in scoring (27.5). They’ve notched 30-plus points in eight games this season. 

Quarterback Jared Goff is an accurate passer who pushes the ball downfield, but also does a great spreading the ball around. The three-time Pro Bowl selection is currently third in the NFL in passing yards (3,984), tied for third in passing touchdowns (27) and 11th in QBR (59.6). He’s gone over 250 passing yards in nine games thus far. On Dec. 16 against the Broncos, Goff went 24 of 34 for 278 passing yards and five passing scores. See which team to pick here.

Why Cowboys can cover

Dallas’ defense has been very disruptive on all three levels. This group ranks seventh in the NFL in total defense (299.7), fifth in pass defense (184) and ninth in total sacks (42). Linebacker Micah Parsons is one of the most dominant edge rushers in the game. Parsons has violent hands with the quickness to line up all across the defensive line. The two-time Pro Bowl selection is tied for seventh in the league in sacks (13) with 53 total tackles. 

The Cowboys can send different waves of pass-rushers, as four players have at least four sacks on the year. Defensive end Dorance Armstrong uses his long arms and burst to evade blocks. Armstrong has recorded 32 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa has been a forceful presence in the middle of the defense. Odighizuwa gains leverage with ease, recording 44 total stops, nine tackles for loss and three sacks. See which team to pick here.

How to make Lions vs. Cowboys picks

Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Over on the point total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Lions vs. Cowboys on Saturday Night Football, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Lions vs. Cowboys spread to back, all from the expert who is on an amazing 22-6 run on picks involving Dallas, and find out.