AT&T Stadium showcases a high-profile NFL matchup on Sunday Night Football. The Dallas Cowboys welcome the Indianapolis Colts for a cross-conference contest in prime time. Dallas is rolling in recent days, winning four of the last five games to improve to 8-3 this season. The Colts are going the other direction with five losses in the last six contests to slide to 4-7-1 overall.

Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET in Arlington. Caesars Sportsbook lists Dallas as a 10.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 44.5 in the latest Cowboys vs. Colts odds. Before making any Colts vs. Cowboys picks or NFL predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Dallas 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. Entering the 2022 NFL season, he was 427-344 all-time on NFL sides (plus $3,764 for $100 players), including 394-330 against the spread. Hartstein went 68-50 ATS (58%) and 8-3 on money-line NFL picks last season for a profit of $1,552.

In addition, Hartstein has gone an amazing 11-3 on his last 14 picks involving the Cowboys, returning more than $700. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, he has locked in on Cowboys vs. Colts and released his confident SNF picks. You can head to SportsLine now to see Hartstein's picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Colts vs. Cowboys:

  • Cowboys vs. Colts spread: Cowboys -10.5
  • Cowboys vs. Colts over/under: 44.5 points
  • Cowboys vs. Colts money line: Cowboys -550, Colts +400
  • IND: Colts are 5-7 against the spread this season
  • DAL: Cowboys are 7-4 against the spread this season
  • Cowboys vs. Colts picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Colts can cover

Indianapolis is led by its defense, with strong metrics across the board this season. The Colts are No. 6 in total defense, giving up only 3,707 total yards in 12 games. Indianapolis is also in the top 12 in scoring defense, allowing only 20.3 points per game and 1.70 points per drive. The Colts are in the top 10 in first downs allowed, thanks in part to a stingy passing defense that is near the top of the league in passing yards allowed (2,287) and passing touchdowns allowed (13). 

Indianapolis can also stop the run, evidenced by a top-five mark in yards per carry allowed (3.9) and is effective on third down. Opponents are converting only 35.7% of third-down chances against Indianapolis this season, No. 6 in the NFL. With that defense and a talented offense at the skill positions headlined by Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman, the Colts are capable of keeping this one competitive. See which team to pick here.

Why the Cowboys can cover

The Cowboys are uber-elite on defense, and Dallas is facing a vulnerable Indianapolis offense. The Colts are No. 30 in the NFL in total points this season, and Indianapolis has allowed the most sacks (43) in the league. Dallas leads the NFL in sacks (45) on defense, and the Colts have the second-most turnovers (21) in the sport. Indianapolis is a bottom-five team in third down efficiency and red zone efficiency on offense, and the Colts are No. 26 in the league in total yards. 

Dallas is No. 2 in the league in scoring defense, giving up only 17.0 points per game, and the Cowboys lead the NFL in passing defense. Dallas allows opponents to convert only 34% of third down chances, a top-five mark, and the Cowboys are in the top 10 of the NFL in first downs allowed, turnovers created, and red zone efficiency allowed to opponents. See which team to pick here.

How to make Cowboys vs. Colts picks

Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and, while we can tell you he's leaning Under the point total, he has also discovered a crucial X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Colts vs. Cowboys on Sunday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Colts vs. Cowboys spread you should jump on, all from the NFL expert who is an amazing 11-3 roll on against-the-spread picks involving Dallas, and find out.