Sunday Night Football odds, line, spread: Giants vs. Cowboys predictions, NFL picks by expert on 16-4 roll

As is typically the case, the Dallas Cowboys have high hopes entering NFL Week 1, and they kick off on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants. Dallas went 12-5 last season behind a powerful offense and stout defense, but that was only enough for second place in the NFC East. The Giants finished 9-7-1, but that was enough for a playoff spot. They were routed 38-7 in the Divisional Round by the Philadelphia Eagles, who won the NFC East at 14-3. The Cowboys also reached the second round of the playoffs, losing 19-12 to the San Francisco 49ers. Dallas has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Giants, including the past four. 

Kickoff in New York is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Dallas is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Giants vs. Cowboys odds, and the over/under for total points scored is set at 45. Before you lock in any Cowboys vs. Giants picks or NFL Week 1 bets, you need to see the Sunday Night Football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine NFL expert and Cowboys guru Larry Hartstein.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. Larry tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Those selections formed the basis of his SportsLine NFL best bets article, which finished 36-25-1.

In addition, Hartstein has a keen sense of what to expect from the Cowboys and is 16-4 on his last 20 NFL picks involving Dallas, returning a whopping $1,150. Anybody who has been following him is way up.

Now, Hartstein has taken a close look at Cowboys vs. Giants and just revealed his expert picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting trends for Giants vs. Cowboys: 

Why the Cowboys can cover

Dallas ranked in the top six in the NFL on both sides of the ball last season, scoring 26.8 points per game (fourth) and allowing 19.7 (sixth). The roster is loaded with stars, with quarterback Dak Prescott leading an offense that also features receiver CeeDee Lamb and running back Tony Pollard. On the defensive side, Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence can wreck plans. Prescott threw for almost 2,900 yards despite missing five games, while Pollard rushed for 1,007 in a platoon with the departed Ezekiel Elliott, and Lamb totaled 1,359 receiving yards.

Lamb could find a lot of openings against a Giants secondary featuring two rookie cornerbacks. The Cowboys’ defense tied for third in the NFL in sacks, with Parsons posting 13.5. Lawrence got three of his six sacks in a 23-15 Week 3 victory at New York. Cooper Rush started at quarterback for Dallas in that game. Prescott threw for 261 yards, 106 to Lamb, in a 28-20 victory in Dallas in Week 12. The Giants ranked 25th in yards allowed (360 per game) in 2022. The Cowboys were 11-8 against the spread overall last season and went 8-5 ATS as a favorite. See which team to pick here.

Why the Giants can cover

New York looked like a different team, and quarterback Daniel Jones seemed like a different player, in coach Brian Daboll’s first season. The QB threw for a career-high 3,205 yards and rushed for 708 in his fourth NFL season. He and Saquon Barkley paced a rushing attack that ranked sixth in the NFL at 146 yards per game. Barkley was healthy most of the season, playing all but one game, and rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 TDs. The Giants went 11-3 against the spread as underdogs in 2022 and were 14-5 ATS overall (including playoffs), best in the NFL.

Jones should have help in the passing game this season. Receiver Darius Slayton averaged 15.7 yards on his 46 receptions, and new arrival Parris Campbell had 62 catches for the Colts in 2022. The Giants’ defense didn’t break too often and ranked fifth in third-down conversions (37.6%). Dexter Lawrence had 7.5 sacks, and New York recovered 13 fumbles, tied for second-most in the NFL. See which team to pick here.    

How to make Cowboys vs. Giants picks

Hartstein has broken down Sunday Night Football from all sides and is leaning over the point total. He also has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and the rest of his expert NFL picks and analysis, at SportsLine.

So who wins Cowboys vs. Giants on Sunday Night Football in NFL Week 1, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cowboys vs. Giants spread to back, all from the NFL expert on a 14-6 roll on picks involving Dallas, and find out.