Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys Picks, Predictions, Odds

Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

The NFL Christmas Eve festivities will resume on Saturday mid-afternoon with a highly anticipated NFC East rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. Coverage begins from AT&T Stadium in Arlington at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.

Updated on 04/26/2024

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PHILADELPHIA EAGLES vs. DALLAS COWBOYS BETTING PREDICTION

In the first matchup between these teams, the Eagles ran away with a 26-17 home victory in a contest that Dak Prescott was sidelined in. And now, ahead of their second meeting, the tables have been turned with Jalen Hurts set to miss their Christmas Eve affair in Dallas.

The oddsmakers don’t seem overly concerned with the Birds’ quarterback situation, though, as Gardner Minshew and the Eagles hit the road as surprisingly short 4.5-point underdogs against Dallas this week. But that mostly has to do with the strength of Philly’s backup QB position.

Minshew started two games for the Eagles last season, and Nick Sirianni’s squad split those contests 1-1, as the Birds ran away with a 33-18 victory over the Jets in the first, and they fell to Dallas by a score of 51-26 in the second.

But regardless of Philly’s QB situation, I’m not expecting Sirriani to show his entire hand in preparation of a potential playoff meeting against the Cowboys, because, despite their inconsistencies, Dallas truly is one of the few threats to the Eagles in the NFC. And there’s a good chance we see a rubber match between these teams for all the marbles in the near future.

It’s no secret that both of these squads have played excellent on the defensive side of the ball, highlighted by the Eagles and Cowboys both surrendering less than 20 PPG on the season, ranking sixth and seventh in the league, respectively.

However, the oddsmakers aren’t showing these defensive units any love with a total set north of OU 46 this Saturday, despite opposing teams eclipsing the 23-point mark in just 8-of-28 combined matchups against Philly and Dallas this season.

So, I’ll take the under here, as we’ll probably see a bit of a chess match between Sirriani and Mike McCarthy on Christmas Eve, with both coaches wanting to save some of their best third down packages for a potential playoff matchup. Which inevitably, should lead to a conservative game script and a low-scoring battle.

Score Prediction: Cowboys 23, Eagles 20
Best Bet: Under 47 (-110)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES vs. DALLAS COWBOYS BETTING ODDS

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PHILADELPHIA EAGLES vs. DALLAS COWBOYS BETTING RESOURCES

Date: Saturday, December 24, 2022
Matchup: NFC East
Venue: AT&T Stadium
Location: Arlington, Texas
Time-TV: FOX, 4:25 p.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES BETTING ANALYSIS

Hurts has played exceptionally well for the Eagles this season, and deservedly, he boasts the second-best odds to take home this year’s MVP award, currently hovering around +450 at most shops. However, this Eagles squad doesn’t quite live and die with the quarterback position like other top shelf squads do, such as the Chiefs or Bills. 

The Eagles dominate the trenches on both sides of the ball. Their O-line is phenomenal, spearheaded by four-time All-Pro Jason Kelce. And defensively, they’re allowing less than 20 PPG, while also leading the entire league in yardage allowed per play.

Without a doubt, Minshew stepping in for Hurts is a considerable downgrade for the Eagles this week. But the state of Philly’s situation strikes me as somewhat similar to the 49ers, where it doesn’t really matter who plays quarterback for them, as long as they have a steady hand at the wheel.

Certainly, the Eagles’ offense doesn't have as many tricks up its sleeve in the absence of Hurts. However, Minshew is more than capable of being the steady hand this squad needs. And while I don’t quite have the guts to back Philly this Christmas Eve, I still think there’s a decent shot the Birds escape with a victory.

DALLAS COWBOYS BETTING ANALYSIS

Dallas has partaken in high-scoring shootouts pretty much nonstop since Week 8, highlighted by Dak Prescott and co. racking up 27+ points in seven straight contests, and on the flip side, the Cowboys’ defense allowing 23+ points in four of those affairs. So, it’s no surprise that the total for Saturday’s matchup is stationed north of OU 45.

The Cowboys’ defense got ripped to shreds in a 40-34 loss to Jacksonville last week, and they’ve certainly suffered their fair share of injuries as of late. But this Dallas defensive unit has played very well all season, and prior to their latest outing, they had surrendered 20 points or less in three of their last four games.

The Cowboys’ offense has now scored 34+ points in three of their last four contests. So, when betting the ‘under’ in Dallas’ games, you always run the risk of getting burned by some type of cataclysmic eruption. 

But the Eagles’ defense will probably be overprepared for this contest knowing their backup QB is under center on the opposite side of the ball. So, I think there’s a good chance that both of these high-powered offenses get held in check.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES vs. DALLAS COWBOYS BETTING TRENDS

• The total has gone OVER in seven of Philadelphia's last nine games.
• The Eagles are 5-0 SU in their last five games.
• The Cowboys are 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
• The total has gone OVER in six of Dallas' last seven games.
• The Cowboys are 4-1 SU in their last five games.
• The total has gone OVER in four of Dallas' last five games against Philadelphia.
• The Cowboys are 7-0 SU in their last seven home games.
• The Eagles are 3-7 ATS in their last ten games against Dallas.
• The Eagles are 3-7 SU in their last ten games against Dallas.

Where to place a bet this NFL Season?

• Use our exclusive BetMGM Bonus Code VIBONUS1500 to unlock BetMGM’s welcome offer for new sportsbook users!
• Compare the latest NFL Odds from the best sportsbooks before placing a bet on this week's games.
• Check out the North Carolina Sportsbooks just before they launch legal online sports betting.

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson