Dallas at Seattle Preseason Week 3 Lines & Free Pick
Posted by Jordan Walterss on Tuesday,August 23, 2016 9:51, EDT in
We should get our first look at Cowboys rookie No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas’ third preseason game of the exhibition season on Thursday night as they visit the Seattle Seahawks. Elliott is the betting favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year but has been dealing with a hamstring injury. The Seahawks are solid favorites for the game in NFL betting.
Let’s Take a Look at the Dallas at Seattle Preseason Week 3 Lines, Free Pick & TV Info
When: Thursday, Aug. 25, 10 PM ET
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle
TV: NFL Network
Stream: NFL.com
Radio: Dallas / Seattle
Opening NFL Lines: Seahawks -5 (44.5)
Dallas vs Seattle Historic Betting Trends
These teams don’t play often in the preseason but did last regular season. Seattle won in Dallas 13-12 in Week 8 as the Cowboys were without an injured Tony Romo. Seattle QB Russell Wilson had a scoring pass for the game’s only touchdown, and his key run came on a drive to Steven Hauschka’s go-ahead 24-yard field goal with 1:06 remaining. Matt Cassel was the Dallas QB and was 13 of 25 for just 97 yards. The Dallas offense fizzled on its way to just 220 total yards, the fewest in almost two years.
Why Bet on Dallas?
Because Dak Prescott is the greatest QB in NFL history! OK, not really, but the rookie out of Mississippi State has been unbelievably good in his two preseason games. In last Friday’s 41-14 rout of Miami, Prescott completed 12 of 15 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He added two rushing scores and 28 yards. It’s very early, but he’s looking like the steal of the draft. Overall, Prescott has completed 81.5% of his passes for 338 yards, four touchdowns and no picks. He has added 41 rushing yards and two rushing scores. Nine of the 10 drives Prescott has played this preseason have resulted in points. He has more total touchdowns (six) than incompletions (five). It appears the Cowboys have found themselves a backup QB and perhaps Romo’s eventual replacement.
There is no chance the Cowboys are going to trade for the likes of Josh McCown, giving up a draft pick for a one-year rental, while taking snaps away from Prescott. Owner/GM Jerry Jones has said as much and even declared Prescott as the primary focus for the backup quarterback after spotless play in the preseason opener.
As for Elliott, he participated in Cowboys practice Monday and appears set to go here. The Cowboys have been taking it easy on Elliott since he went down on August 3. He’s participated in walkthroughs, but has been kept out of team drills up until this point. Meanwhile, Lance Dunbar (knee) has been activated off active/PUP and Alfred Morris has parlayed 16 preseason carries into 96 yards and a touchdown. But Elliott will be the workhorse this season if he can stay on the field.
Will Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith play? The Cowboys kept him out of team drills last week to protect a pinched nerve injury, which he’s occasionally dealt with since high school. He hasn’t played in the preseason yet but wants to Thursday.
Why be on Seattle?
There may be no tougher place to play in Seattle, even in the preseason. The Seahawks come off an 18- 11 home loss, however, to Minnesota last Thursday. Backup QB Trevone Boykin’s pass was intercepted and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown with 1:23 left. Seattle had pulled even at 11-11 when Troymaine Pope scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 12:49 left and Steven Hauschka’s 49-yard field goal later in the fourth quarter. Wilson played the entire first half and was sacked four times, getting pulled down awkwardly on the last sack. Wilson was 5 of 11 for 77 yards.
The Seahawks have started the same line in their two preseason games — Bradley Sowell at left tackle, Mark Glowinski at left guard, Justin Britt at center, Germain Ifedi at right guard and Garry Gilliam at right tackle — but until J’Marcus Webb is healthy, the Seahawks don’t know for sure what their best combination is at tackle. Webb is on track to play in this week’s preseason game, head coach Pete Carroll said, so in practice this week and in the game, the Seahawks will have a chance to look at more combinations at the two tackle spots.
The running back Pope, meanwhile, is still a long shot to make the roster. Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael are in line to be the Seahawks’ top two backs. The team also spent three draft picks on running backs — C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins and Zac Brooks. The Seahawks remain without Rawls and tight end Jimmy Graham. Neither will play in this game but Rawls should be ready for Week 1. Graham might not be.
My Free Pick
Prescott will find the going a little tougher this week. Go Seattle on NFL lines and the under.
