The Week 16 edition of Sunday Night Football will see Baker Mayfield and the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) visit AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys (6-8) in an intriguing NFC showdown.
The Bucs enter this matchup on a four-game winning streak after throttling the Chargers 40-17 in Los Angeles on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are coming off a 30-14 victory over the Panthers in Carolina, which kept them mathematically alive in the NFC Wild Card race.
Let’s check out the latest betting odds for this SNF Week 16 game before digging into my Buccaneers vs Cowboys prediction and best bets.
Updated SNF Odds Comparison
After winning their last four games, the Buccaneers are getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers as they are four-point favorites over the Cowboys in Dallas.
The Over/Under for this contest is 48.5 points, making it the highest total on the Week 16 slate.
All NFL odds referenced below are current as of Wednesday, Dec. 18, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SNF Implied Score & Team Totals
Buccaneers 26.25, Cowboys 22.25
Oddsmakers expect Tampa Bay (28.8 ppg) to fall short of its season-long scoring average, while Dallas (21.3 ppg) is expected to come in just over its mark.
The former is slightly surprising since the Cowboys have the NFL’s third-worst scoring defense, allowing 27.1 points per game, and this game will be played on a fast track indoors.
Take a look at the best Sunday Night Football odds for the 2024 NFL season.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Sunday Night Football Prediction
SNF Score Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Cowboys 24
These teams have played well over the last month, so this game should be competitive until the final whistle.
To Mike McCarthy’s credit, the Cowboys haven’t quit despite difficult circumstances. Injuries to Dak Prescott and others have derailed Dallas’ campaign, but Cooper Rush has kept the train on the tracks over the last month, leading America’s Team to wins over the Commanders, Giants, and Panthers. And if not for a special teams blunder against the Bengals, the Cowboys could be on a four-game winning streak of their own.
Still, I like the Buccaneers to ultimately prevail in this SNF contest. Baker Mayfield (288 passing yards, 4 TDs) and Mike Evans (159 receiving yards, 2 TDs) torched one of the league’s best defenses last week. The backfield combo of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving should have plenty of success on the ground against a Dallas defense allowing 4.8 yards per carry, tied for the fourth-highest mark in the NFL.
Sunday Night Football Bet Tips
Consider these bet tips and trends before making your Buccaneers vs Cowboys bets.
- SNF Unders are 9-4-2 on the season.
- The Cowboys are 1-6 straight up at home this season, while the Bucs are 5-2 on their travels
- Overs are 9-5 in Tampa Bay’s and Dallas’ games so far this campaign.
Sunday Night Football Best Bets
SNF Over/Under Pick: Buccaneers @ Cowboys Over 48.5 Points (-108)
SNF Unders have been on a roll this season, but I’m expecting a higher-scoring environment in this matchup between the Buccaneers and Cowboys.
Tampa Bay has scored 26 or more points in each of its last four contests, including its 40-point outburst last week. Dallas has put up at least 20 in each of its previous four games and reached the 30s on two occasions.
Brian Schottenheimer’s offense also operates at the fastest pace in the NFL (26.7 seconds per play), so Dallas’ scoring drives should be of the shorter variety. Take the Over before it hits the key number of 49 as one of your best NFL bets today.
SNF Pick Against the Spread: Cowboys +4 (-110) vs Buccaneers
This pick won’t be popular this week because the Cowboys are 0-5 against the spread as home underdogs this season, failing to cover by an average margin of 15.3 points per game. Still, I’m taking Dallas to stay within four points on Sunday night.
Tampa Bay will be playing its fourth road game in the last five weeks, and it feels like we’re at the top of the market when it comes to betting on the Bucs, who have won four straight and are coming off a resounding victory over a likely playoff outfit.
Sunday Night Football Prop Bet
Rachaad White: Anytime TD (+120)
The Cowboys have allowed an NFL-high 22 rushing touchdowns in 14 games, so White or Bucky Irving (+100) will likely find the end zone.
While the rookie has been more efficient toting the rock than White, the ASU product has more total touchdowns (nine) than Irving (six) and continues to see the majority of the red-zone workload.
Sunday Night Football Parlay
Best SNF Parlay (+268)
- Buccaneers ML (-198)
- Over 41.5 Points (-262)
- Rachaad White: Anytime TD (+120)
When constructing my SNF parlays, I play it pretty conservatively. I’m starting with the Buccaneers moneyline, which feels safer than the Cowboys covering this relatively short spread. I’m also doubling down on the Over, albeit at a shorter number, and White to find the end zone.
This plus-money bet will qualify for most SNF parlay boosts, so you can squeeze more out of this play depending on your sportsbook of choice.
