The Jacksonville Jaguars will meet the Dallas Cowboys to open their 2023 NFL preseason schedule on Saturday in Arlington. The Cowboys, who finished second in the NFC East last year, compiled a 12-5 record and were 8-1 on their home field in 2022. They earned a spot in the postseason, losing 19-12 at San Francisco in the divisional round. The Jaguars, meanwhile, won the AFC South with a 9-8 record and advanced to the divisional round, where they lost 27-20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Dallas was 2-1 in the preseason, while Jacksonville went 0-4.
Kickoff from AT&T Stadium is set for 5 p.m. ET. Jacksonville is a 4-point favorite in the latest Cowboys vs. Jaguars odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 37.5. Before making any Jaguars vs. Cowboys picks or bets, you need to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from proven SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. Hartstein tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Those selections formed the basis of his SportsLine NFL best bets article, which finished 36-25-1.
In addition, Hartstein has gone 16-4 on his last 20 picks involving the Cowboys, returning $1,150. Anybody who has been following him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has set his sights on Cowboys vs. Jags and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Now, here are several NFL betting lines and trends for Jaguars vs. Cowboys:
- Cowboys vs. Jaguars spread: Jacksonville -4
- Cowboys vs. Jaguars over/under: 37.5 points
- Cowboys vs. Jaguars money line: Jacksonville -195, Dallas +162
- JAX: The Jaguars are 4-0 against the spread in their last four road games
- DAL: The Cowboys are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games
- Cowboys vs. Jaguars picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Jaguars can cover
Jacksonville is expected to give its starters a series or two of playing time, but look for backup quarterback C.J. Beathard get the bulk of the snaps. He is in his third season with the Jaguars after playing the previous four years in San Francisco. Beathard saw action in two preseason games a year ago, completing 10 of 17 passes (58.8%) for 86 yards and an interception. He also saw action in parts of four regular-season games, completing 7 of 11 (63.6%) for 35 yards and one pick.
Third-round draft pick Tank Bigsby has been turning heads in camp and is expected to get looks against the Cowboys. The 21-year-old former Auburn standout played three years with the Tigers. In 2021, he rushed for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns, and followed that up with 970 yards on 179 carries and 10 TDs. He is also a weapon out of the backfield, catching 30 passes for 180 yards, including a season-high 37-yarder in 2022. See which team to pick here.
Why the Cowboys can cover
Starting quarterback Dak Prescott is not expected to see the field, but his primary backup last season will. Cooper Rush, who played in nine games last season, is expected to get his chance against Jacksonville. Rush did a solid job for the Cowboys when Prescott went down with injury, playing in nine games. He completed 94 of 162 passes (58%) for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Dallas is also expected to play a number of running backs as it tries to sort out who will be the primary backup behind Tony Pollard. Among them is sixth-round draft pick Deuce Vaughn. The Kansas State product is on the small side at 5-foot-6, 176 pounds, but was explosive at the collegiate level. In 2022, Vaughn was a workhorse, carrying 293 times for 1,558 yards and nine touchdowns for the Wildcats. He also caught 42 passes for 378 yards and three scores. He rushed for 18 touchdowns in 2021. See which team to pick here.
How to make Jaguars vs. Cowboys picks
Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under the point total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
Who wins Cowboys vs. Jaguars, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Nagel’s Jaguars vs. Cowboys picks, all from the red-hot expert who is 16-4 on Dallas picks, and find out.
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Author: CBS Sports Staff
August 11, 2023 | 4:10 pm
