Thursday Night Football prediction, odds, line, time, spread: Cowboys vs. Giants picks from expert on 22-8 run

The Dallas Cowboys (1-2) and New York Giants (1-2) will meet on Thursday Night Football to begin the Week 4 NFL schedule. The Cowboys are seeking a major bounce-back win after dropping two straight games. New York just secured its first win of the 2024 season, an upset in Cleveland, and returns home to MetLife Stadium for TNF. Dallas is averaging 25.7 points per game in 2024, while the Giants are logging just 15.

Kickoff from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NY., is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Dallas is a 5.5-point favorite in the latest Cowboys vs. Giants odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 45. Before locking in any Giants vs. Cowboys picks, make sure to check out the NFL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein, considering his mastery of picks involving Dallas.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Hartstein’s weekly Vegas contest selections form the basis of his NFL best bets column, which is 79-48-2 (62.2%, +25.95 units) since its inception in 2022. He’s also 22-8 (+1305) on his last 30 ATS NFL picks involving the Cowboys. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, Hartstein has locked in on Cowboys vs. Giants and just revealed his coveted NFL picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines on the spread, money line and over/under for Giants vs. Cowboys:

• Cowboys vs. Giants spread: Dallas -5.5
• Cowboys vs. Giants over/under: 45 points
• Cowboys vs. Giants money line: Dallas -262, New York +213
• DAL: Cowboys have allowed 464 rushing yards over the last two games
• NYG: New York ranks second in the league in sacks (14)
• Cowboys vs. Giants picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Cowboys can cover

Dallas has difference-makers lined up all across the defense. They have Mike Zimmer running the show, but still have their nucleus of players. Linebacker Micah Parsons is an explosive force with outstanding strength and speed to blow past blockers. Parsons has 225 total tackles, 41.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles in his career. In six career games against New York, the Penn State product has 11 solo tackles and three sacks.

Cornerback Trevon Diggs is an athletic and instinctive defender. Diggs has a nose for the ball and finds ways to make a play. In three games, the Alabama product is third on the team in tackles (16) with two pass breakups and one interception. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is another disruptor upfront. He already has 12 stops, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. See who to back at SportsLine.

Why the Giants can cover

The Giants’ defense has been able to generate pressure consistently through the first three weeks. New York is second in the NFL in team sacks (14) with eight players recording at least one sack. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is one of the top players in his position. Lawrence can create havoc in the backfield to stop the run and bring down the quarterback. He has 10 total stops, three sacks, and two TFLs.

Linebacker Brian Burns was acquired this offseason and gives the Giants a stellar force off the edge. He has a range of moves to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The FSU product has tallied 10 tackles, three pass deflections, one sack, and one forced fumble in three games. For his career, Burns has 47 sacks and nine forced fumbles. Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is another rusher who has six total pressures, four QB hits, two hurries, and 0.5 sacks thus far this season. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make Cowboys vs. Giants picks

Hartstein has analyzed Giants vs. Cowboys from every possible angle and while we can tell you he’s leaning Over the total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. Find out what it is, and which team to back, at SportsLine. 

So who wins Giants vs. Cowboys on Thursday Night Football, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread hit hard? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Giants vs. Cowboys spread to back, all from the expert who is 22-8 on picks involving Dallas, and find out.