• The Seahawks are 3-point favorites over the Cowboys in NFL Preseason action tonight
• Neither team will dress their established starters, but I have more confidence in the Cowboys QB room
• Keep reading for the Cowboys vs Seahawks picks, betting splits and lineups, below

The final game on tonight’s NFL Preseason schedule features the Dallas Cowboys taking on the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. Neither team is expected to play their established starters, and online sportsbooks believe that favors the champs. They’ve pegged Seattle as field goal favorites in the latest NFL odds, in a contest with a 36.5-point total.

Kickoff is scheduled from Lumen Field, in Seattle, WA, at 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET, with NFL Network providing the broadcast coverage. Keep reading for my Cowboys vs Seahawks picks, betting splits and lineups, below.

Fans won’t see Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba or $132 million man Devon Witherspoon tonight. Head coach Mike Macdonald will trot out Drew Lock under center, with former Alabama QB Jalen Milroe behind him. Lock has plenty of NFL starting experience, and a firm grip on the backup job, so expect to see Milroe for a ton of snaps. That’s not necessarily a good thing for potential Seattle backers, as we’ll discuss.

The reigning champs of the Super Bowl odds are dealing with a ton of injuries in their running back room, meaning we’ll see plenty of guys carrying the rock that won’t be on the roster in Week 1. One of the reasons Seattle sailed over their 2025 NFL win totals was their talent in the trenches, but we won’t see any of those names either, paving the way for the Cowboys to find some success.

As for the Dallas lineup, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens won’t see a snap. Sam Howell and Joe Milton will split the QB duties, while home run threat Jaydon Blue and power back Phil Mafah will absorb most of the RB carries.

Defensively, the Cowboys starters will also sit, but the team will dress both 1st round rookies Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence. Both players are extremely talented, and along with the Dallas second stringers, should be able to limit Lock and Co. in the early going.

• Cowboys +3 (-113 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Reports out of Dallas is that Howell has been exceptional all summer, playing at a starting caliber level. He has an excellent preseason track record, completing 67% of his passes with 6 TD and only 2 INT on nearly 200 attempts. I’m confident he can move the Cowboys down the field against Seattle’s backups, propelling Dallas to an early lead.

Once he exits, Milton can sustain drives as well, as he boasts dual threat ability and one of the biggest arms in football. Last time we saw him, he threw for 132 yards, and scored through the air and on the ground.

On the other side, Milroe is a major project, and I’m not convinced he’ll be able to threaten the Dallas defense. He struggled badly last preseason reading coverages and protecting the football, which was epitomized by a five-sack, three fumble performance in his final showing. The former Alabama product should see a ton of playing time tonight, which is a downgrade to the Seattle offense.

Taking the points in this matchup is the optimal play especially now that the number has reached +3. Most sportsbooks and prediction markets are still sitting at 2.5, but +3’s are available if you’re willing to shop. From a trends perspective, preseason underdogs of 3 points or fewer have covered 66% of the time since 2016.

Odds as of August 15, 2026. Claim your Caesars Sportsbook promo code now to get involved in NFL Preseason action.

Moving over to the NFL public betting splits, where the majority of spread bettors are siding with me and grabbing the points with the Cowboys. Dallas is currently drawing 52% of the ATS tickets and 53% of the handle.

The biggest discrepancy in the market is on the moneyline. Seattle is garnering 82% of the bets and 71% of the money, so in addition to taking the Cowboys against the spread, I don’t hate a sprinkle on their moneyline. That way, we can fade massive public consensus, and be on the same rooting side as the oddsmakers for this showdown.