Half of the league is in action on Saturday during an eight-game 2022 NFL Week 1 preseason schedule. In primetime, Empower Field at Mile High features the Denver Broncos welcoming the Dallas Cowboys to town for the preseason-opener on both sides. Dallas finished with a 12-5 record last season, while Denver scuffled to a 7-10 mark before retooling its offense around the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson.
Kickoff is at 9 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Denver as the 3-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 31.5 in the latest Cowboys vs. Broncos odds. Before making any Broncos vs. Cowboys picks, be sure to see the NFL predictions from 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. Entering the 2022 NFL season, he is 427-344 all-time on NFL sides (plus $3,764 for $100 players), including 394-330 against the spread. Hartstein went 68-50 ATS (58 percent) and 8-3 on money-line plays last season for a profit of $1,552. Anyone who has been following his NFL picks is way up
Now, Hartstein has zoned in on Cowboys vs. Broncos and just locked in his NFL picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks and analysis. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Broncos vs. Cowboys:
- Cowboys vs. Broncos spread: Broncos -3
- Cowboys vs. Broncos over-under: 31.5 points
- Cowboys vs. Broncos money line: Broncos -160, Cowboys +140
- DAL: Aiming to win the NFC East for the second straight season
- DEN: Haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015 season
- Cowboys vs. Broncos picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Denver Broncos vs. Dallas Cowboys
Why the Cowboys can cover
With injuries to Michael Gallup and James Washington, there is playing time up for grabs at wide receiver. Jalen Tolbert is receiving rave reviews, particularly from the fantasy community, and the rookie from South Alabama is a strong talent. He posted a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons at the college level, including 1,474 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games in 2021.
Elsewhere, TJ Vasher is a competitor for playing time at the position, with the former Texas Tech standout bringing size at 6-foot-5 and facing real expectations after missing his rookie campaign with injury. From there, Dallas also has a bevy of quarterback options behind Dak Prescott. Cooper Rush, Ben DiNucci and Will Grier all have starting experience and could give Dallas reasonable play at the position throughout the preseason opener.
Why the Broncos can cover
It remains to be seen just how much Denver might use Wilson in the entire preseason, much less the opener. However, the Broncos are set up well at the backup quarterback spot. Josh Johnson is the backup for Denver, and the 36-year-old has 37 games of experience across more than a decade of NFL work. Johnson started for the Baltimore Ravens last season and threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns.
He also has the ability to evade danger with mobility, and Denver is installing a new offense under head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The Broncos also have playing time available at wide receiver with the ACL injury to Tim Patrick, and Denver can observe KJ Hamler, Seth Williams and Tyrie Cleveland as potential options.
How to make Broncos vs. Cowboys picks
Hartstein is leaning over the total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can find out what it is and see all of Hartstein’s NFL picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Who wins Cowboys vs. Broncos on Saturday? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Broncos vs. Cowboys spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the expert who has consistently crushed his NFL picks, and find out.