Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks Picks and Prediction for Saturday, August 15, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys visit the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday at 8:00 PM ET at Lumen Field for the preseason opener for both teams. Seattle is a 3.5-point favorite after opening at -2.5, while the total has climbed from 37.5 to 39.5. Dallas lost four of its final five games last season, closing with a 34-17 loss to the Giants. Seattle finished with five straight wins, including a 29-13 victory over New England in Super Bowl LX. Saturday’s forecast calls for 80-degree weather. Be a winner with our free NFL picks.

Dallas Cowboys Testing New Defensive System

Dallas enters its second season under Brian Schottenheimer with most of its offensive group intact after averaging 27.7 points per game last season. Dak Prescott remains the starter, while Sam Howell and Joe Milton III give the Cowboys quarterbacks to evaluate during the preseason. Running back is another position worth watching. Javonte Williams rushed for 1,201 yards last season, but Dallas wants to spread the carries around more. Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah and Malik Davis are competing for opportunities behind Williams, giving the coaching staff several options to examine Saturday.

The biggest changes come on defense, where new coordinator Christian Parker is installing a 3-4 scheme with potentially seven new starters. Dallas added edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade with Green Bay, while first-round picks Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence join the group. Cornerback is another competition, with Shavon Revel Jr. and Cobie Durant battling to start opposite DaRon Bland. Dallas allowed a league-high 30 points per game last season, making the preseason particularly important for evaluating assignments and personnel within Parker’s new system.

Injuries: Jalen Thompson (Questionable, Hip), Princeton Fant (Questionable, Knee), Zion Childress (Questionable, Hamstring), James Houston (Questionable, Back), P.J. Locke (Questionable, Knee).

Seattle Seahawks Adjusting After Super Bowl LX Winning Season

Seattle begins its title defense with Brian Fleury replacing Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator. The system is expected to remain similar, but Sam Darnold will be working with different coaches after leading the Seahawks through their Super Bowl win. Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe provide Seattle with two other quarterbacks to evaluate during the preseason. The running back group also has questions because Zach Charbonnet is recovering from ACL surgery. George Holani, first-round pick Jadarian Price and Emanuel Wilson are competing for work while Charbonnet remains unavailable.

The Seahawks retained much of last season’s championship roster but have several defensive positions to examine. Bud Clark and Ty Okada are competing to replace departed safety Coby Bryant, while Julian Neal and Noah Igbinoghene are candidates for the No. 3 cornerback role previously held by Riq Woolen. Seattle also has a competition at right guard between Anthony Bradford and rookie Beau Stephens. Those battles give Mike Macdonald several areas to evaluate in the opener without needing to rely heavily on established starters.

Injuries: Jake Bobo (Questionable, Leg), Brandon Pili (Questionable, Lower Leg), Julian Neal (Questionable, Leg), Nick Emmanwori (PUP, Ankle), Zach Charbonnet (PUP, Knee/ACL).

Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks Game Pick

• Seattle Seahawks -3.5

Seattle is the play because its quarterback depth stands out for a preseason game. Lock has extensive NFL experience, while Milroe gives the Seahawks another option to evaluate behind Darnold. Dallas has Howell and Milton behind Prescott, but the Cowboys are also working through major changes on defense after allowing 30 points per game last season. Seattle has several young running backs and receivers competing for opportunities, which should keep the offense active through its rotations. Even after the spread moved from -2.5 to -3.5, Seattle remains the pick at home.

Dallas Cowboys vs Seattle Seahawks Over/Under Pick

• Over 39.5

The over 39.5 is the pick despite the total rising two points from its opening number. Dallas averaged 27.7 points last season and returns most of its offensive personnel, while Seattle has three quarterbacks available to work through its preseason rotations. The Cowboys’ new defensive scheme could require time to settle with numerous personnel changes, and Seattle has several running backs competing for carries. Dallas also has multiple backs seeking work behind Williams. With both coaching staffs having plenty of offensive personnel to evaluate, there is enough scoring potential to support the over.