NFL Betting Picks and Props: Week 17 Saturday Night (Lions at Cowboys)

This Saturday night, two top NFC teams face off as the Detroit Lions head south to take on the Dallas Cowboys.

These two squads are fighting in the standings with the Lions still in contention for the top seed in NFC while the Cowboys are trying to catch the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.

How should we bet this Saturday matchup?

All NFL odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Lions at Cowboys Betting Picks

Over 52.5 (-110)

In a matchup of titans offensively, the over/under being set at 52.5 shouldn't surprise anyone. Now, my initial thoughts on this were to take the under, but when you dive deeper, these two defenses haven't been as strong as they've seemed throughout the season.

According to numberFire's metrics, the Lions rank 24th in the league in terms of schedule-adjusted defense. The Cowboys, who have one of the most talked about defenses in football, are good on that side of the ball but rank just seventh -- proving that they're a defense that can be beaten.

That's been happening a pretty good amount of late. Over the last three weeks, the Cowboys have allowed the opposition to score 22, 31, 13, and 35 points. Outside of the impressive performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas has been on its heels a bit.

But this isn't just on the Cowboys' defense. Their offense should be able to get going against the Lions, and they'll need to if they want to keep up with Detroit's white-hot offense.

Each of these teams rank in the top five in points per game -- Dallas comes in ranked second (30.1) and Detroit sits at fifth (27.5). The offenses will go through Dak Prescott and Jared Goff, who have been on opposite roads as of late. Goff is just a game removed from a five-touchdown performance while Prescott has thrown for just four scores total across the last three weeks. This is Dak's chance to get back on track against a team that just allowed a now-benched Nick Mullens to throw for more than 400 yards.

If all goes as expected, there should be plenty of points come Saturday night.

numberFire's model projects this game to finish at 54.7 points.

Lions at Cowboys Player Prop Picks

Jahmyr Gibbs Over 54.5 Rushing Yards (-114)

Everyone knew that once the Lions unleashed Jahmyr Gibbs, there would be no looking back.

That's been true over his last three games as he's recorded at least 66 rushing yards and a touchdown in each. The do-it-all rookie will be an important part of the puzzle come Saturday night as the Lions try to beat the Cowboys -- which is why I am taking him to go Over 54.5 Rushing Yards.

Not only has Gibbs went over this total in four straight games, but the Lions are a better unit when he's getting the necessary touches to shine. The Cowboys have not been as elite at stopping the run this season. They're in the middle of the pack, averaging 115.7 rushing yards against. However, over the last three games, Dallas is allowing a whopping 154.3 rush yards per game. That's exciting for Gibbs come Sunday.

Gibbs should keep things rolling, with his dynamic ability likely to play a big part in the gameplan for Detroit.

Dak Prescott Over 275.5 Passing Yards (-114)

It's time for Dak Prescott to get back to his MVP ways from just a few weeks ago with a big showing against the Lions on Saturday night.

From Week 8 to Week 13, Prescott threw for more than 275.5 passing yards five out six times. Over his past three games, he has thrown for just 270 yards once and has otherwise had two underwhelming performances against AFC East foes. It's why he should be getting back on track against a Lions team that is getting shredded through the air.

As mentioned above, the Lions just allowed Nick Mullens to throw for 411 yards a week ago. Sure, they intercepted him four times, but 400 yards is 400 yards. We're looking for just 275.5 yards with this bet.

The Lions are allowing an average of 266.3 passing yards per game on the road as opposed to 199.0 when they're at Ford Field, only aiding Prescott's potential efforts all the more. C. J. Gardner-Johnson won't be returning yet for the Lions, either, leaving their defense in the same place that it has been for most of the season. What the Lions do well is limit rushing yards (90.6), so if the Cowboys want success, it'll have to be through the air -- like it's been all season long.

numberFire's model is projecting Prescott to throw for 278.1 yards, just hitting the over for us on Saturday.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.