For most of the 2023 NFL season, the masses have wondered whether the Dallas Cowboys were truly dominant or a byproduct of their favorable schedule. That debate abated slightly after they beat the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13. But their schedule is about to get tougher.
In Week 14, the Cowboys will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then, in Week 15, they will meet the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, December 17, at 4:25 p.m. eastern standard time, on the field at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. After that, Dallas travels to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. And then it’s on to the Detroit Lions in Week 17 before finishing the year off against the Washington Commanders in Week 18.
So, yeah, we’re about to learn a lot about the Cowboys. Do they deserve top-tier odds to win Super Bowl 58? Or do they belong a cut below the Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and others? Finding the answer will be a gradual process. But we should have a firmer idea of Dallas’ ceiling by the time they travel to face the Bills in Week 15. That’s the game of theirs we’ll focus on here. And before we go any further, let’s have a gander at the latest NFL online betting odds for Bills vs. Cowboys:
Always remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our Bills vs. Cowboys Week 15 betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, December 5. That gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to make adjustments leading into opening kick-off on December 17.
And since we’re bringing you these NFL Week 15 picks so far in advance, we’ll be looking at the Bills vs. Cowboys point spread betting lines alone. The over/under and moneyline odds will drop later. For now, we’ll lay out the case for each team and deliver our final prediction.
The Case for Betting on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15
People can harp on the absence of a trademark victory from the Cowboys all they want, but the doubt is starting to lose its luster. Dallas is now first in points scored per game on the back of a playmaking defense and the arm of Dak Prescott. The defense itself, mind you, is truly elite. The Cowboys are now fourth points allowed per game and have one of the two best success rates at stopping third downs.
Squaring off against the Bills will, of course, be different from facing the New York Giants or the Washington Commanders. Despite Buffalo’s own struggles, they continue to rank fifth in points scored per game.
At the same time, for all this talk about the Cowboys needing a trademark victory, the Bills have dealt with their own struggles against quality opponents. And that’s on the rare occasions they actually play them. Buffalo has only faced three opponents above .500 all year. They are 1-2 in those situations.
Overall, the Bills offense is built to withstand anything. They’ve dropped some gaudy point totals against good defenses this year. But they’ve also struggled against more aggressive coverages. And the Cowboys just so happen to employ aggressive coverages. They rank in the top six of turnovers forced and only four teams are sacking quarterbacks on a higher share of their possessions this season.
Combine this with Buffalo’s own turnover issues and wonky play from the offensive line, and you’ve got an opponent Dallas is built to handle.
The Case for Betting on the Buffalo Bills in Week 15
Many will look at the Bills’ record and dismiss them as a non-threat against elite teams. There’s some merit to that thinking. Buffalo has too many giveaways on the year and has also turned in a few truly offensive stinkers.
Still, the Billes are not untalented. On the contrary, Buffalo might be much better than their record suggests. Remove a couple of second half turnovers from quarterback Josh Allen’s ledger, and Buffalo could have another two or three wins under their belt.
You only need to look at how close so many of the Bills games have been to understand. Their six victories have come by a total of 26 points. That’s just a 4.3-point margin per loss.
“Almosts” clearly don’t count in the NFL. But the Bills are playing at home, where they’ve been dominant. And regardless of how blah-blah their record is now, they still own the sixth largest point differential in the league.
Official Bills vs. Cowboys Week 15 Prediction
This could be one of those ultra-high scoring games that’s decided by a three-points-or-fewer differential. This tracks with the one-point spread set before us.
Those quick to write off Buffalo would be mistaken. Dallas has not always done a good job containing the most elite offenses. A lot of their defenses numbers are inflated by a favorable strength of schedule. The Cowboys just coughed up 35 points to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13.
Here’s the thing: The Cowboys won that game by scoring 41 points. It was the fifth time this season Prescott and company cleared the 40-point benchmark.
No other offense in the NFL has shown comparable potency. So no matter how many points the Bills score, Dallas will always be equipped to score more. And though Buffalo will be fighting for their playoff lives, the Cowboys will be trying to gain or maintain control of the NFC East.
OSB Prediction: Dallas Cowboys, -1 (-110)
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