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Cowboys Open as 4.5 Point Underdogs vs Seahawks in Week 3

Blair Johnson

by Blair Johnson in NFL Football

Updated Sep 21, 2020 · 6:24 AM PDT

Dak Prescott runs
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are 4.5-point underdogs in Week 3 vs the Seahawks. Photo from @espnstatsinfo
  • The Cowboys are 4.5-point underdogs against the Seahawks on the opening line in their Week 3 matchup
  • Dallas overcame a 20-point deficit in miraculous fashion to beat Atlanta in Week 2 while Russell Wilson threw five touchdown passes in a 35-30 win over New England
  • See opening odds and analysis on how the line could shift during the week here

The Dallas Cowboys have opened as 4.5-point underdogs against the Seattle Seahawks in their Week 3 matchup in Seattle.

Dallas was down 20-0 after the first quarter and had a 15-point deficit with less than five minutes to play against Atlanta in Week 2, only to recover an onside kick with under two minutes to play and ultimately win 40-39 on a walk-off field goal by Greg Zuerlein.

Meanwhile, Russell Wilson threw five touchdown passes to five different receivers and Seattle got a goal-line stand against Cam Newton to beat New England 35-30.

Cowboys vs Seahawks Week 3 Opening Odds

Team Spread Moneyline
Dallas Cowboys +4.5 (-110) +184
Seattle Seahawks -4.5 (-110) -220

Odds taken Sept. 20 at FanDuel

Both teams are coming off exhilarating Week 2 victories. The Cowboys rebounded from a season-opening loss to the Rams by beating the Falcons 40-39 after being down 15 points with under five minutes remaining.

Meanwhile, all the Seahawks did Sunday was hang on to a 35-30 victory against the Patriots – while moving to 2-0 in the process – thanks to a dramatic finish.

So, are the Cowboys vs Seahawks odds about right? One team closed out an epic comeback. Another slammed the door on one. Which team continues momentum in Week 3? Let’s analyze this delicious matchup a bit further.

Anything Left in the Tank?

Following the raucous victory over the Falcons, Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott said the locker room was “crazy.”

New Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy – who moved to 5-0 all-time at AT&T Stadium (including a victory in Super Bowl XLV) – was given a game ball for his first win with the franchise. Tight end Dalton Schultz said, “That’s a helluva first win, especially at home. I think it gives us a lot of momentum going forward”

And that is the big question mark. How on earth can a team sustain that kind of emotion consecutive weeks?

McCarthy was asked after the incredible comeback if he had been a part of a game like that before. “I had one on the other sideline, but it’s not like this,” Of course, he was referring to this.

Now, McCarthy’s squad leaves the Metroplex and heads to the Pacific Northwest. The Cowboys own a 2-4 record against the Seahawks since 2012 (including playoffs) – the year Russell Wilson entered the league.

In Russ We Trust

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is a future Hall-of-Famer. And one of the reasons why Wilson will be enshrined in Canton one day is he seems to play his biggest games when he’s in the spotlight.

Following Seattle’s 35-30 duel with New England – pitting two future Hall of Fame coaches Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll – Wilson moved to 17-3 in primetime games.

Let this stat digest for a second: Wilson’s nine touchdown passes through the first two games are only two less than the number of incomplete passes he’s thrown in 2020. Translation: you’re looking at the early favorite for MVP.

And while the Week 3 contest against America’s Team is not in primetime, Wilson will still be the quarterback. And the Seahawks have done pretty well with No. 3 at the helm.

The Line

With all these factors taken into account, I don’t expect the line to move too much this week.

Of those six games played between the two franchises since 2012, three of them were decided by one score. The aggregate point total for each is 130-98, making the average score over that stretch roughly 22-16 Seahawks. So, if anything, the line might creep north a hair.

But two opposing factors should keep the line stable. First, Wilson’s first two games will be a huge topic in the media this week. The Seattle signal caller even had a Laker legend tweeting about him.

Meanwhile, bettors love the Cowboys. Dallas fans will be especially emboldened following a comeback for the ages against the Falcons. One of their biggest fans reacted in hilarious fashion Sunday.

And don’t forget, an X-Factor for the Seahawks – as seen on Sunday Night Football – has been taken away this season: CenturyLink Field’s famous 12th Man aren’t in the stands. That equalizes things even more.

No matter what, one of the marquee matchups in Week 3 will be fun.

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