Dallas Cowboys vs Las Vegas Raiders Point Spread Picks

Dallas has lost two games in a row, with the offense struggling to score, averaging 20.5 points. They've scored 40+ points in three of their four home games, but are averaging 24.4 on the road. Before their bye week, Dallas lost 27-17 at home to Arizona with QB Dak Prescott getting sacked five times. Las Vegas comes off a 10-7 loss at Denver. QB Geno Smith (11 TDs, 12 INTs) gets little help from a running attack that averages 3.7 yards per carry and ranks 30th in rushing yards. The Raiders are 31st in the NFL in scoring, averaging 15.4 per game. With Las Vegas on an 11-4 run UNDER the total, look for a lower scoring game. Take Dallas/Las Vegas UNDER this inflated total. 

Dallas is a huge dog for a preseason game. They lost in Week 1 by a point, but the defense played great, allowing 13 points and getting 4 turnovers while holding the Rams to 4-of-14 on third down. They have a decent preseason QB rotation in Trey Lance and Cooper Rush. Las Vegas also lost its opener by a point, 24-23 to Minnesota. The defense was awful, surrendering 452 yards and passing 310 yards. Play Dallas as a Max Play.

Game of the Month - The banged-up Dallas Cowboys lost 19-9 to Kansas City, but the Cowboys are getting some good news as standout LT Tyron Smith will likely be ready to play on Thanksgiving after recovering from an ankle injury. Dak Prescott could use the help after getting sacked five times on Sunday. He was also intercepted twice. The Las Vegas Raiders are a mess right now and are going into their usual second-half swoon. It has been a nightmare season both on and off the field, and the Raiders are showing the effects. QB Derek Carr was 19 of 27 for 215 yards with an interception last week, and the Raiders looked disorganized on offense. Las Vegas has lost its last three games by a combined score of 96-43, and that margin tells a story. Travel and the short rest week don't help Vegas' cause as it'll take a lot more than three to even begin solving their problems. Dallas is without a couple of premiere playmakers, but they won't let this game get away. Take the Cowboys on the moneyline for my NFL Game of the Month.

The Dallas Cowboys breezed into the playoffs last season, but at 7-6 on the season they are going to need some help to find their way back again. The Cowboys' offense seemed sluggish without Ezekiel Elliott to pound the ball, but they have figured things out and have run for over 300 yards in their last two games, and generated better than 450 yards in their last game, with Dak Prescott going over 300 yards. Derek Carr has shown to be able to open up the offense when his team is considered the inferior team in the game. He has a career 24-15 mark to the OVER when he takes the field as an underdog. I think the Dallas defense is vulnerable to the speed the Raiders have outside, and will play this one to finish OVER the posted total.

Up-and-coming Oakland is a dog with something to prove. They come off a home loss to the Rams, 24-21, and Coach Jack Del Rio was frustrated with defensive lack of "basic execution" in the secondary. The Oakland passing attack had three TDs, one pick, allowing only one sack, and the starters play more this week. The run defense was strong, allowing 2.5 yards per carry, and faces a run-oriented Dallas team that has had a lot of personnel turnover from a year ago. Dallas is playing its fourth preseason game, off a 24-19 win over the Colts. Indianapolis scored 19 points with 206 yards passing with the unimpressive QB trio of Stephen Morris, Scott Tolzien and Phil Walker. The Cowboys' defense had no picks and only one sack. All three of their preseason games have been close, decided by 2, 3 and 5 points. Cowboys' Coach Jason Garrett has undrafted rookie quarterback Cooper Rush getting snaps with the second ranked offense this week, splitting time with Kellen Moore. It is as much to do with what Rush has done and what Kellen Moore hasn't. Dallas has cared little for preseason under this coaching staff, on a 5-14 straight-up run in August. The defense has allowed 18, 10, 19, 28, 27, 14, 24, 14, 28, 23, 17, 27, 37, 25, 27, 24, 18, 12 and 19 points in those contests, an average of 21.6 points per game. Play Oakland on the moneyline.