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- Teams: Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Date: Saturday, December 30, 2023
- Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Two of the top teams in the NFC meet in Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season when the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys face the club with the best record in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions. The ESPN game takes place on Saturday, December 30, at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Here is some background on the Lions and Cowboys before we look at the early betting odds, tips, and predictions for their Week 17 matchup.
The Detroit Lions (9-4) are in the hunt for their first division championship since 1993. The Lions have not made the playoffs since they were the wild card in 2016. Detroit has alternated wins and losses over their past four games. The team is coming off an upset loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 14.
The Dallas Cowboys are looking to lock up the top seed in the NFC. The team is currently 10-3 on the season and is coming off a dominant win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Dallas is on a five-game winning streak following their win over Philly.
Before we look at the early betting breakdown for Week 17’s contest between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys, check out our best Super Bowl betting tips and the top betting sites for NFL football in 2023.
Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys betting picks
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Detroit Lions | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Dallas Cowboys | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Detroit Lions betting breakdown
The Detroit Lions are having their best season in decades. The last time the team was 9-3 after 12 games was in 1962. The team finished that year with an 11-3 record. The most wins the team has ever had during the regular season was when they finished the 1991 season at 12-4.
The Lions usually have one of the most effective offenses in the NFL, with a balanced passing and rushing attack. The team had 347 total yards against New Orleans, with quarterback Jared Goff going 16-for-25 for 213 yards passing in Week 13, but things went backward for the club in Week 14, where the offense struggled a great deal in the second half, failing to pick up a first down until the game was well into the fourth quarter.
The offense has not been a major problem for the Lions this season. The team’s defense has been a weak spot all season. The defense struggles on the pass rush and defending the pass. Further, the defense is one of the worst in the NFL at stopping their foes from scoring a touchdown once they reach the red zone.
Dallas Cowboys betting breakdown
The Dallas Cowboys offense crushed the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Dallas QB Dak Prescott, who is in the running for NFL MVP in 2023 went 24-39 for 271 yards with two touchdowns, zero interceptions and three sacks. Dallas’ offense scored points on each of its first four drives and went into halftime with a 24-6 lead before winning the game 33-13. The Cowboys have scored at least 33 points in each of their five straight wins.
Dallas has shown a lot of improvement on the offensive side of the ball in 2023, with the team scoring 25 touchdowns on 38 trips to the red zone since the San Francisco 49ers crushed them in Week 5, 42-10.
The Cowboys are dominating as of late, but they have tough games against Buffalo and Miami in the coming weeks before they face the Lions in Week 17.
Best bets for NFL Week 17: Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys
As of this writing, Dallas is 7-0 at home, and as good as Detroit has looked at points this year, they are not on the same level as the Cowboys in the second half of the 2023 season. The betting pick is for the Cowboys to beat the Lions in Week 17.
Best Bets for Week 17: Dallas Cowboys to beat Detroit Lions
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