The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams will meet in both teams’ NFL preseason openers on Saturday. The Cowboys are coming off a 7-10 injury-plagued season in which Dak Prescott played only eight games. Prescott is not expected to play on Saturday. The Rams are coming off a 10-7 season and an NFC West title. Matthew Stafford has been dealing with a back injury throughout training camp and won’t play on Saturday. Both teams are expected to rest the majority of their starters.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., is set for 7 p.m. ET. Dallas is a 1.5-point favorite in the latest Cowboys vs. Rams odds, while the latest NFL odds show the over/under for total points scored at 34.5. The Cowboys are -135 favorites on the money line, with the Rams as +114 underdogs. Before making any Rams vs. Cowboys picks or predictions, you need to see what proven SportsLine’s Larry Hartstein has to say.
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Hartstein is 967-821 all-time on NFL sides and props (plus 13.8 units) at SportsLine including 593-518 ATS, and cashed all five of his 2024 NFL futures plays (plus 5.35 units). He is 52-34 (+1229) on his last 86 picks in Rams games, consistently beating the NFL odds. Anyone who has followed him while using online sportsbooks promos and betting apps could be way up.
Here are Larry Hartstein’s best bets for Cowboys vs. Rams on Saturday:
- Rams +2.5
- Under 33.5 total points
- First Half Under 17.5 points (-122 at FanDuel)
Rams +2.5 (now down to +1.5)
Hartstein notes the Rams are 9-15 overall in the preseason with Sean McVay as head coach, as McVay has never highly prioritized winning in the preseason. But neither Los Angeles nor Dallas appears likely to play many key players on Saturday. Dallas first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the Cowboys won’t be utilizing many exotic defenses this preseason either, and Hartstein has his eyes on a few Los Angeles playmakers who could shine on Saturday.
“The Rams have young talent that should help them cover,” Hartstein told SportsLine. “Exhibit A: rookie running back Jarquez Hunter, the fourth-round pick out of Auburn. Look for the powerful 5-9, 204-pounder to run over Dallas’ backup defenders. Third-string Rams QB Stetson Bennett has gotten a lot of camp reps due to Matthew Stafford’s ailing back, and McVay praised the former Bulldog’s increased comfort running the offense. Bennett will get plenty of action Saturday as he tries to make the team behind Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.”
Under 33.5 total points (now up to 34.5 points)
The first week of the preseason is often filled with low-scoring games, especially when the majority of starters on either side aren’t taking a snap, as is likely to be the case on Saturday. Between Prescott and Stafford out and how the Rams’ preseason went last year, Hartstein doesn’t expect much scoring.
“Bennett and the Cowboys’ Joe Milton should take most of the snaps at quarterback,” Hartstein said. “That duo has me leaning Under, despite the early preseason Over trend and this relatively low total. The Rams typically play low-scoring affairs. Last year, Rams’ preseason games totaled 25, 22 and 32 points. One of those came against Dallas, a 13-12 Cowboys’ win. Bennett was intercepted four times in that game, so I expect him to play conservatively to avoid turnovers.”
First Half Under 17.5 points (-122 at FanDuel)
“Seventeen is a key number (2 TDs, FG), so I like getting 17.5 for this play,” Hartstein said. “In last year’s Cowboys-Rams preseason matchup, the score was 6-6 at halftime. Look for both coaches to rest starters in an effort to preserve them for the regular season.”
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