Cowboys vs Eagles Predictions, Picks, Odds, How to Watch NFL Thursday

• Cowboys vs Eagles Moneyline: Cowboys +330, Eagles -410
• Cowboys vs Eagles Total: 47.5 (-112o / -108u)
• Cowboys vs Eagles Spread: Cowboys +8.5 (-115), Eagles -8.5 (-105)

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Cowboys vs Eagles Preview, Predictions

Philadelphia Eagles Betting Preview: Expect Fireworks on Offense

The defending champs return basically the same offense that just powered them to a Super Bowl.

Jalen Hurts now has his full arsenal of weapons healthy. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert were on the field together for only 18% of Hurts' dropbacks last season.

Factor in Saquon Barkley, who posted 2,005 rushing yards in his first year with the team — running behind one of the best offensive lines in football — and this attack is as dangerous as it gets. The “tush push” wasn’t banned either, which means Philadelphia still has the league’s most unstoppable short-yardage play.

The real storyline is obvious: the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Packers.

This wasn’t just a blockbuster, it was a league-altering move. Parsons ranked first in pressure rate amongst qualified edge rushers at 19.1% last season — he was single-handedly the engine of Dallas' defense.

Parsons' absence matters specifically in this matchup. Hurts ranked 17th of 36 QBs in EPA/dropback under pressure last year but fourth when kept clean. A Parsons-less Dallas defense means Hurts is likely operating with cleaner pockets than usual, and that will be a nightmare for the Cowboys secondary.

If there’s one possible wrinkle, it’s the transition at offensive coordinator for the Eagles. Kellen Moore is gone; Kevin Patullo is in.

How much that impacts the offense remains to be seen, but Patullo has been in the building for years and Hurts has played under six different OCs — this offense hasn’t skipped a beat through those changes.

Expect Philly fireworks right away.

Dallas Cowboys Betting Preview: Dak is Back

Dak Prescott returns from the hamstring tear that cost him the final nine games last year. He gets a shiny new weapon in George Pickens, who pairs perfectly with CeeDee Lamb.

Lamb racks up underneath volume and elite YAC while Pickens wins as a downfield, contested-catch alpha. On paper, that’s a great duo to stress a defense.

The problem?

Philadelphia’s defense under Vic Fangio excels at limiting downfield passes. Last year, the Eagles allowed the second-lowest EPA/pass on throws of 20+ yards. That’s right in the lane where Pickens thrives.

There is turnover for the Eagles defense though. Milton Williams and Josh Sweat are gone, franchise legend Brandon Graham retired, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed with the Texans. This unit is going to have a few new pieces, and it may take a couple weeks to gel.

New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has a reputation for being “run heavy,” but that’s not really true. He has finished top 10 in pass rate in each of his last three seasons as a coordinator.

With Lamb, Pickens and one of the weakest RB rooms in the league, Dallas will lean on the pass. Pair that with the loss of Parsons on the other side, and the Cowboys look like an over team early this season.

X-Factor: New Kickoff Rules

The NFL’s new kickoff rule moves touchbacks to the 35-yard line, incentivizing more returns.

That means more volatility and better starting field position on average. Overs hit at a higher clip over the preseason, and this rule is partly why.

Dallas has KaVontae Turpin, who averaged 35.4 yards per return last season (third best in the NFL). If teams kick to him, he can flip the field instantly.

Philadelphia hands return duties to Will Shipley, who replaces Kenneth Gainwell and averaged 3.5 more yards per return in college. Both teams could see big field position boosts from this change.

The line has ballooned to Eagles -8.5 after the Cowboys traded Parsons, and it’s deserved.

Without Parsons, Dallas loses the one piece that could have truly wrecked this matchup. Add in potential rain — with winds under 10 mph, so not a major issue — and the edge tilts further toward a Philly team built to dominate on the ground.

The angle I like most is the first half (1H) Over. Philadelphia’s offense should come out fast, and Dallas has enough passing upside with Lamb and Pickens to contribute. Add in the kickoff rule volatility, and early scoring could spike.

• 1H Over 23.5 is the lean
• Key number alert: 24 is very common, so you want 23.5. I wouldn’t touch 24.5.

For a fun long-shot pick, I love Will Shipley to score the last TD at 25/1 (FanDuel). If the Eagles build a comfortable lead, Barkley could be iced after he got 400+ touches last year, leaving Shipley to close.

Shipley can score on the ground, through the air or even via kick return under the new rules. It’s sneaky, but it fits the exact game script that could play out.

Pick (Leans):

• 1H Total Over 23.5 (-118; DraftKings)
• Will Shipley Last TD at 25/1 (FanDuel)

SPREAD

The Eagles opened as 7-point favorites on the spread; that ballooned to -8.5 after the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Packers. It's a deserved line move to the Eagles' side as Parsons was that impactful as a defender.

MONEYLINE

I have no lean or bet for either side of the moneyline.

TOTAL

The Cowboys-Eagles over/under sits at 47.5, which is in line with my projection.

However, my favorite total play is the first-half total, which sits at 23.5. This game has shootout potential early with the Cowboys defense downgrading big time without Parsons and Jalen Hurts having his full complement of weapons.