A spot in the 2023 NFC Championship Game will be on the line when the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys collide in a Divisional Round playoff game on Sunday. The 49ers (14-4) are looking to reach the conference championship game for the third time in the last four seasons and are coming off a 41-23 Wild Card victory over Seattle. The Cowboys (13-5), who blew out Tampa Bay, 31-14, in a Wild Card game last Monday, have not reached the NFC title game since the 1995 season. The winner of Sunday's game in the NFL playoffs 2023 will face the Philadelphia Eagles for a berth in the 2023 Super Bowl.
Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. ET. San Francisco is a 4-point favorite in the latest 49ers vs. Cowboys odds from Caesars Sportsbook while the over/under for total points scored is 47. Before you make any Cowboys vs. 49ers picks or NFL Divisional Round predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Cowboys expert, Larry Hartstein, has to say.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He entered the 2022 NFL season 427-344 all-time on NFL side picks (plus $3,764 for $100 players), including 394-330 against the spread. Hartstein went 68-50 ATS and 8-3 on money-line plays last season for a profit of $1,552.
Hartstein also is 14-4 on his last 18 against-the-spread picks involving the Cowboys, meaning he's uniquely qualified to make this pick. Anyone who has consistently followed him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has taken a close look at 49ers vs. Cowboys and just revealed his expert picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines and trends for Cowboys vs. 49ers:
- Cowboys vs. 49ers spread: San Francisco -4
- Cowboys vs. 49ers over/under: 44 points
- Cowboys vs. 49ers money line: San Francisco -195, Dallas +165
- SF: Nick Bosa led the league in sacks (18.5) in the regular season
- DAL: Cowboys ranked third in the NFL in sacks (54)
- Cowboys vs. 49ers picks: See picks here
Why the 49ers can cover
San Francisco's offense has been on a roll. Since Brock Purdy took over as starting quarterback in Week 14, the 49ers have averaged 34.8 points per game, which leads the league over that time. They also lead the NFL in expected points added per play (0.03), yards per play (6.8), yards per rush (5.5) and yards per pass (8.8) over that stretch.
One of the reasons for the offense's surge has been running back Christian McCaffrey. Since McCaffrey became the starting running back, San Francisco is 11-0. Over that stretch, he has 1,284 scrimmage yards (the most in the NFL) and 11 touchdowns (tied for the second most). See which team to pick here.
Why the Cowboys can cover
Dallas owns a devastating pass rush. The Cowboys got pressure on 35.0% of dropbacks in the regular season, the best pressure rate in the league. Four players, led by Micah Parsons (13.5 sacks), had at least six sacks and helped the Cowboys register 54, which was tied for third in the NFL.
In addition, Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb is having a career year. The third-year wideout set career-highs in receptions (107), receiving yards (1,359) and receiving touchdowns (nine) during the regular season. His 1,359 receiving yards are the fifth most in a season in Cowboys history. See which team to pick here.
How to make 49ers vs. Cowboys picks
Now, Hartstein has broken down Cowboys vs. 49ers from every angle. We can tell you that he's leaning Over on the point total, but his much stronger play is on the spread. He's found a critical X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back on Sunday. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins 49ers vs. Cowboys in the NFL playoffs 2023? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the 49ers vs. Cowboys spread you should jump on Sunday, all from the expert who is 14-4 on his last 18 against-the-spread picks involving the Cowboys, and find out.
