Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys Betting Odds, Analysis, NFL Pick

The Dallas Cowboys are a bad bet at the moment, with just one cover through their first six games of this season. The Seattle Seahawks aren't much better, with just two covers through their first seven games. Two teams that were supposed to contend in the NFC this season but own losing records at the moment meet when the Cowboys host the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

Point spread: The Seahawks opened as six-point favorites; the total was 40.5 early in the week, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

NFL pick, via Odds Shark computer: 22.6-18.2 Seahawks

Why the Seahawks can cover the spread

Seattle is only 3-4 straight up and 2-4-1 against the spread this season but is coming off its best outing in a month, a 20-3 victory at San Francisco last Thursday. The Seahawks led 17-0 before the Niners hit the board, outgained San Francisco 388-142, won the ground battle by a 176-61 margin, held the ball for over 38 minutes and covered as six-point road favorites.

Prior to that victory, Seattle had lost consecutive games to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers but held double-digit leads in both games before letting both slip away. Also, it should be noted the Bengals and the Panthers are a combined 12-0 this season.

The Seahawks are struggling a bit, but they can still run the ball and play great defense. And despite the fact that they're slipping on the Super Bowl 50 odds, per nflonlinebetting.com, they're a force with which to be reckoned.

Why the Cowboys can cover the spread

The Cowboys have lost four games in a row, but they're also coming off probably their best performance in a month—and their best performance since quarterback Tony Romo went down with that shoulder injury—in a 27-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night. Dallas tied the game at 20-20 on a Matt Cassel-to-Devin Street touchdown hookup with seven minutes to go, but it promptly gave up a 100-yard kickoff return for a score and couldn't recover.

On the night, the Cowboys outgained New York by 170 yards and won the ground battle by 100 yards, as Darren McFadden went off for 152. But three Cassel interceptions proved costly. If Cassel can cut out the picks and McFadden can come up with another performance like last week, Dallas could make this one interesting.

Smart pick

Seattle isn't quite firing on all cylinders, but it's got Marshawn Lynch, a tough defense and a quarterback who can drive opposing defenses nuts. The Cowboys, on the other hand, are depending on Cassel and McFadden until Romo and Dez Bryant return. That's why the smart choice here is the Seahawks.

Betting trends

The Cowboys are 11-2 SU and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games after consecutive losses.

The Seahawks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games against the Cowboys.

The Cowboys are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games at home in November.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.