Washington-Cowboys Betting Preview: Trends, Props, Pick For Thanksgiving Day Game

An important NFC East matchup will take the back end of the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day slate.

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Washington Football Team for a late-afternoon contest. Both teams enter the Week 12 tilt with a 3-7 record, which somehow is good enough to be firmly in the mix for a division crown this season.

This will be the second meeting of the campaign between the longtime rivals. Washington notched a 25-3 win over Dallas back in Week 7.

Here’s our betting preview for Thursday’s Washington-Cowboys game. The line, total and props are provided via consensus data.

Washington Football Team at (-3) Dallas Cowboys
Total: 46

BETTING TRENDS
The Cowboys currently feature the league’s worst against-the-spread record (2-8). Even the winless New York Jets (3-7) feature a better ATS mark than America’s Team through 11 weeks of the season. Washington, meanwhile, is a respectable 5-5 ATS.

WFT, however, hasn’t been a great road bet in 2020. Ron Rivera’s team currently owns a 1-3 ATS record away from FedEx Field, with its lone triumph coming in a 20-19 loss to the New York Giants as a 2-point underdog.

Both of Dallas’ ATS wins to date occurred when it was pegged as the underdog. The Cowboys currently are 0-5 ATS in games they’re favored.

PROPS
First-half line, total
Cowboys -0.5, 22.5

First touchdown scorer
Ezekiel Elliott +550
Antonio Gibson +700
Terry McLaurin +800
Amari Cooper +1050
CeeDee Lamb +1100
JD McKissic +1300

Passing yards
Andy Dalton over/under 248.5 yards
Alex Smith over/under 243.5 yards

Rushing yards
Ezekiel Elliott over/under 69.5 yards
Antonio Gibson over/under 52.5 yards

Receiving yards
CeeDee Lamb over/under 53.5 yards
Amari Cooper over/under 51.5 yards
Michael Gallup over/under 38.5 yards

PICK
Cowboys -3

Washington has reason to be confident in this one after trouncing Dallas a few weeks ago. But let’s not forget that Week 7 game saw Andy Dalton exit due to injury and his replacement, Ben DiNucci, proved to be incapable of leading the offense.

Dalton’s return last Sunday clearly created a spark for the Cowboys. The veteran signal-caller completed 22 of 32 passes for 203 yards with three touchdowns in a win over the Vikings. Yes, Washington’s defense is better than Minnesota’s, but Dalton and Co. will enjoy the comforts of home Thursday before a limited number of passionate fans.

This could be a big game for Ezekiel Elliott. Washington’s pass defense and pass rush are very strong, but its run defense is average at best. Dallas likely will have no issue leaning on its superstar back, which could open up the Cowboys’ play-action game.

Not to mention, Washington owns a poor 3-8 franchise record in Thanksgiving Day games.