Cowboys vs Giants Picks, Prediction, & Betting Lines (Week 18)

• The Cowboys look to get back to .500 in the final week of the season
• With a loss, the Giants clinch a top-two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
• Continue reading for my Cowboys vs Giants picks and predictions for Jan. 4

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The Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1, 3-5 road) and New York Giants (3-13, 2-5 home) close out disappointing, postseason-less seasons on Sunday, Jan. 4th. All that remains is draft position, where the Cowboys presently hold the No. 13 pick (as well as No. 21), and the Giants hold the No. 2 pick.

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will play host to this all-NFC East affair. FOX will handle the broadcast at 1:00 pm ET.

I have selected my five favorite Cowboys vs Giants picks. With nothing to play for but incentives and draft position, I have selected two game bets and three player props.

DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Picks & Predictions

• DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Pick #1: Under 49.5 (-110, BetRivers)

While the first matchup between these squads featured 77 points, I anticipate a much lower-scoring game. Both teams are incentivized to play backups and not play quite as aggressively as in early games.

With this uncertainty and a slew of inactive players (notably: Javonte Williams, DeMarvion Overshown, Wan’Dale Robinson, Theo Johnson, and Jevon Holland), I expect both teams to be in the lower 20s scoring-wise as opposed to surpassing 30 as both teams did in Week 2.

• DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Pick #2: Giants +3 (-110, FanDuel)

Admittedly, I liked this line more at 3.5 (or higher), but there is solid push potential if the Giants do not win outright. In a spot where Dak Prescott is unlikely to play the whole game, the Giants have a real shot.

Joe Milton, Dallas’ backup, is wildly talented, but he also has a particular affinity for throwing the football to the other team. In relief duty this season, Milton is 8-for-11 for 110 yards with a touchdown and an interception. In preseason action, Milton threw two interceptions on 65 passes.

This is also a bet against the Giants’ ability to tank. Despite having some truly gross teams in recent seasons, the Giants have inexplicably won Week 17 or Week 18 games in 2017, 2020, 2023, 2024, and already in 2025. With a rookie quarterback and a lame-duck interim head coach, anything is possible.

If the Giants win, they could fall as far as No.7 in the draft order. With a loss, they would clinch a top-two position.

• DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Pick #3: Tyrone Tracy Under 63.5 Rushing Yards (-110, Sports Interaction)

Tracy has been a workhorse in recent weeks, posting at least 14 carries in six of the last seven games. In that span, he has cleared 63.5 yards four times, coming up just short (62 yards) twice. Despite this run, I am fading the second-year running back.

There is potential that Tracy gets shut down at some point in the game, perhaps in favor of Eric Gray, a fifth-round pick from 2023. Tracy is likely to be the “1B” to Cam Skattebo once Skattebo returns from injury next season. With the future in mind, the Giants could plug in veteran Devin Singletary or the aforementioned Gray while Tracy gets some time on the bench.

• DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Pick #4: George Pickens Over 69.5 Receiving Yards (-110, BetMGM)

The play here is two-fold. First, Pickens is a free agent at season’s end, so he could conceivably use Week 18 as a showcase game. Second, Pickens is nearing some clear milestones. Through Week 17, Pickens has 92 catches for 1,420 yards, and nine touchdowns. An eight-catch, 80-yard, one-touchdown game is entirely on the table.

George Pickens has been selected to his 1st career #ProBowlGames!@dallascowboys | #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/NhtJBV1PGK

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) December 31, 2025

This hypothetical stat line of 100 catches, 1,500 yards, and 10 touchdowns has only been achieved by 21 wide receivers in NFL history. In Cowboys’ history, only 1995 Michael Irvin and 2023 CeeDee Lamb have hit each of those marks.

In related bets, I would also be open to alternative lines for eight catches or 80 yards. Pickens has the risk of not playing the whole game, but 80 yards is not an inconceivable number for Pickens to post in a half.

• DAL Cowboys vs NY Giants Pick #5: Jaxson Dart Over 18.5 Completions (-140, Sports Interaction)

This season has been a mixed bag for Dart. The overwhelming story has been more of an off-field discussion surrounding his propensity to visit the medical tent with concussions rather than his play itself. Dart has continued to run, toting the rock nine times in two of the last three games, but he has hit over 18.5 completions in both of those games as well.

Jaxson Dart is the first rookie QB in NFL history with multiple games throwing for 200+ yards, rush for 45+ yards and score 2+ rushing TD's. #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/Tsc0iXoemQ

— WBG84 (@WBG84) December 29, 2025

There is a time and place for Dart’s rushing aggressiveness – Week 18 against Dallas’ backups for a 3-13 Giants team is definitely not that time nor place. In 11 starts, Dart has cleared this prop five times, maxing out with 26 completions against the Saints. With these nuggets in mind, I am backing the rookie to complete at least 19 passes and make a last-ditch effort for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Cowboys vs Giants Betting Lines

The Cowboys are road favorites with the total set between 49.5 and 50.5 points in the current NFL odds. Over bettors should take the over 49.5 line offered by bet365 (-110 odds). Under bettors should take under 50.5 courtesy of BetRivers (-114 odds).

For those looking to back the Cowboys, take Dallas -3.5 on the spread at DraftKings (-105 odds) or -184 on the moneyline at FanDuel. For New York bettors, take the Giants +3.5 on the spread at FanDuel (-110 odds) or +160 on the moneyline at bet365.

DAL vs NYG: Last Five H2H Matchups

Through 127 matchups, the Cowboys have dominated the lifetime series against the Giants, posting a 78-47-2 record (but 0-1 in the playoffs). This dominance has been on full display lately as the Cowboys have won 16 of 17 matchups, including each of the last nine. However, the last time the Giants beat the Cowboys was a season-ending, home game back in January of 2021.

In their first matchup, the Giants and Cowboys played one of the best games of the season. The Cowboys won an exhilarating affair 40-37 in overtime with a field goal as time expired. On the Dallas side, Dak Prescott threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns. The Giants saw a glimpse of the future with both Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers (twice) scoring.