Amari Cooper has been the difference for the Cowboys the last few weeks, and he will again be that for Dallas against Seattle. The Cowboys are a far better team at home than they are on the road, and the same is true for the Seahawks. It is difficult to trust Dak Prescott and Jason Garrett in a playoff game, but having Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott and that stellar defense has me believing the Cowboys can get through the round and cover the meager spread as home favorites.

You're going to have to excuse me if I have a hard time putting my money on the line with a team coached by Jason Garrett in a playoff game. Especially as the favorite. The Cowboys have been a lot better since trading for Amari Cooper, but only 7 of their 10 wins this season came against teams with winning records, and two of them were Philly. I just think the Seahawks are the better team in this matchup, so I'll take the points.

Lots of evidence is required to decide to dip below this modest total. Yet such evidence abounds. Both teams lean heavily on the rush -- Seattle ranked second in attempts, Dallas 10th -- which means an often-running clock. The Cowboys rank seventh in defensive efficiency at home, generally because they make life hard on the opposing QB. The Cowboys’ Dal Prescott sees the Seahawks in his dreams - or nightmares. With one TD throw and four interceptions in two meetings, he has a lower passer rating against the ‘Hawks than any other foe. Seattle is relentless on third down, with a league-leading sacks total in that scenario. Points on either side won’t come easy.

The Cowboys are 7-1 at home while Seattle is 4-4 on the road, with their four wins all coming against weak teams. The last time they played each other, Dallas didn't have Amari Cooper. The Cowboys really got Dak Prescott ready last week; he threw four TD passes on the road. Russell Wilson is going to be on his back quite a bit this week. He was sacked six times last week. This Dallas defense is exceptional.

Yes, the Cowboys were dumb to go all-out in a meaningless Week 17 game, but the Seahawks also gave max effort in their close win over the Cardinals. Seattle hasn't been great on the road, and in their hot second half, only two of their last seven games were away from home. The Seahawks have given up 140+ rush yards seven times, which plays into the Cowboys' strength, and having Amari Cooper this time around is a big deal for the Cowboys, as Seattle is 25th in DVOA against No. 1 receivers. Cowboys' strong rush D makes things tough for the Seahawks offense and gives Ezekiel Elliott and Cooper the chance to win it for Dallas.

I don't know how the Seahawks went from a bottom-third rushing team with their QB as their leading rusher last season to being the top running team in the NFL at 160 ypg. It's quite the transformation and it should give the Seahawks at least one win in the playoffs. Great running teams always travel well in January. After starting 0-2 on the season, both on the road, Seattle has their stuff together. The Cowboys have won seven of their last eight, but I'm on Seattle here.

The Seahawks have dominated the past couple matchups with the Cowboys using a formula of Russell Wilson making big plays and a defense that dares Dallas QB Dak Prescott to beat them over the top. Prescott hasn't delivered, and was held to 168 passing yards with two interceptions in a Week 3 loss at Seattle. Wilson threw for two TDs and now has a powerful run game to support him. We'd like to get the key number of +3 here if possible, but the value is still on the underdog.