NFL tips: Thursday Night Football best bets, predictions, picks and preview

NFL betting tips: Thursday Night Football

1pt Dallas Cowboys -18.5 at 5/2 (Sky Bet)

1pt DaRon Bland over 0.5 interceptions at 19/4 (Bet365)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys

• Kick-off time: Friday, 01:15 GMT
• TV: Sky Sports Main Event
• Spread: Dallas Cowboys -8.5 @ 10/11
• Total: Over 46.5 @ 10/11

The Dallas Cowboys are currently one of the most dominant teams in the NFL – especially at home. They have won their first five games by at least 20 points – outscoring their opponents 205-60. And in their last three they’ve put up 43+ points in every single game. You must go back to the 2022 season opener for when they last lost at home – to the Tom Brady led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Meanwhile the Seahawks are on the downward trajectory, with three straight losses on the road. Their offence isn’t clicking, and Geno Smith is regressing from his career year last season. The NFC West outfit only has three offensive touchdowns in their last four games, and Smith has thrown for under 250 yards in three of his last five games, with a 5-4 TD/int ratio.

Dallas is an absolute juggernaut right now – they lead the NFL in scoring with 31.5 points per game, and their defence ranks as fourth in the league by allowing just 16.8 points per game. The defence has a huge seven touchdowns (corner back DaRon Bland is responsible for five of those, breaking the NFL record for pick-sixes in a single season), 37 sacks, 12 interceptions and nine forced fumbles. They have a point differential of +160 whilst Seattle is down at -20. Bland has as good a chance as any for another interception in this contest. QB Smith has eight picks through eleven games (three more than this time last year), and he’s thrown the sixth highest percentage of turnover worthy passes this season. Bland’s assignment is likely to be DK Metcalf, a receiver who thrives on 50/50 balls. No WR this season has seen more targets in contested situations than Metcalf – the opportunity will be there for Bland to come away with the ball yet again.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is making his MVP case. He is 6th in the NFL in total passing yards, with an impressive 26-6 TD/int ratio, alongside completing 70% of his passes. Over this three-game win streak he’s averaged 308 yards per game with a 9-1 TD/int ratio. The question will always be whether he can take his team deep into the playoffs and to the promised land, but right now the Cowboys are making a habit out of beating up on bad teams – and the Seahawks are in danger of falling into this territory.

Both these teams are vying for the same wildcard spots in the playoffs, and owning the head-to-head tiebreak is huge if the standings are tight come the end of season. Dallas have a brutal stretch coming up, with the Eagles, Bills & Dolphins in consecutive weeks. This is a must win game to grab that tiebreaker for Dallas – who are very much the form side. Back them to win, and win big at home.

• CLICK HERE to back the Dallas (-18.5) to win with Sky Bet

Verdict Cowboys 38-13 Seahawks

Preview posted at 1900 GMT on 29/11/23

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