Cowboys vs Lions Betting Trends | NFL Week 14 Thursday Night Football

Week 14 delivers a marquee NFC matchup as the Dallas Cowboys (6–5–1) travel to face the Detroit Lions (7–5)—two teams separated by razor-thin margins in both conference positioning and offensive efficiency. Dallas enters riding back-to-back wins, including a narrow victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, while Detroit looks to recalibrate after a home loss to the Green Bay Packers.

With BetMGM splits leaning toward the Lions despite the Cowboys drawing heavier ticket volume, this one shapes up as one of the tightest Thursday night markets of the season.

DAL vs DET Matchup Board: Odds & Predictions, Free Picks, Prop Bets Today & Injury Updates

BetMGM Betting Splits & Line Movement

Detroit opened as a 3.5-point favorite, but market action nudged the number to Lions -3 as bettors consolidated on the home side.

Spread:

45% of bets on Dallas +3, but just 36% of handle
55% of bets on Detroit -3, accounting for 64% of handle

Total:

54.5 remains unchanged
68% of bets on the Over, 69% of handle also on the Over

Moneyline:

Cowboys +140 (70% of tickets, 73% handle)
Lions -165 (30% of tickets, 27% handle)

Public bettors are clearly grabbing Cowboys value, but sharper money continues backing Detroit, particularly at home.

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Team Form & Recent Results

Dallas Cowboys (6–5–1)

Dallas is rounding into form after a slow start, winning three straight, including high-leverage victories over the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City. The offense has been the engine—ranking:

2nd in scoring: 29.3 PPG
1st in total offense: 401.8 YPG
1st in passing: 280.0 YPG
13th in rushing: 121.8 YPG

Dak Prescott is delivering near-MVP efficiency with 3,261 passing yards and 25 TDs, while George Pickens (1,142 yards, 8 TDs) has emerged as one of the league’s most explosive WR1s.

Defensively, however, the Cowboys remain volatile:

28.5 PPG allowed (31st)
376.2 YPG allowed (29th)
251.5 passing yards allowed per game (30th)

Dallas wins with its offense, tempo, and Prescott’s command, but the defense continues to let opponents hang around.

Past 5:

W 31–28 vs KC
W 24–21 vs PHI
W 33–16 @ LV
L 17–27 vs ARI
L 24–44 @ DEN

Detroit Lions (7–5)

The Lions have been streaky but still dangerous—identifiable by strong offensive balance and a defense capable of creating pressure.

Offensively, Detroit ranks:

4th in scoring: 29.2 PPG
3rd in total offense: 390.4 YPG
8th in passing: 252.3 YPG
4th in rushing: 138.1 YPG

Jared Goff remains steady with 3,025 yards and 25 TDs, while Jahmyr Gibbs continues to ascend with 1,019 rushing yards and 10 scores.

Amon-Ra St. Brown’s injury status looms over this matchup; the Lions’ WR1 has 884 yards and 9 TDs, but his availability remains unclear. St. Brown has missed practice all week, so he’s on the wrong side of his questionable tag, as he deals with an ankle injury suffered on Thanksgiving Day.

Defensively, Detroit is middle-of-the-pack statistically:

22.8 PPG allowed (15th)
316.2 YPG allowed (14th)
212.5 passing yards allowed (18th)
103.7 rushing yards allowed (11th)

This unit bends but does not break often—and can turn games with pressure via Aidan Hutchinson (8.5 sacks) and Jack Campbell (117 tackles).

Past 5:

L 24–31 vs GB
W 34–27 vs NYG
L 9–16 @ PHI
W 44–22 @ WAS
L 24–27 vs MIN

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Matchup Edges

Cowboys Advantages

No. 1 passing attack in the NFL
Elite WR play with Pickens emerging as a top-five receiver
Prescott’s dual-threat utility (3,200+ pass yards, rushing TDs)
Red-zone efficiency trending upward

Lions Advantages

Top-five rushing offense with Gibbs playing at an All-Pro level
Top-half defense versus the run
Better overall defensive scoring profile
Home-field edge and sharper betting support

This matchup comes down to whether Dallas’ elite passing game can overwhelm Detroit’s middle-tier secondary—or whether the Lions’ balanced offense and steadier defense can control the tempo.

All BetMGM data is based on tickets and straight bets