Cowboys vs. 49ers 2018 Preseason: TV Channel, Start Time, Betting Odds With Jimmy Garoppolo Playing

When Week 1 of the 2018 NFL preseason gets underway Thursday night, the contest between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers will probably have more eyes on it than any other. It’s one of two games that will be broadcast on national TV (NFL Network at 10 p.m. EDT), and it features two teams that have relatively high expectations for the upcoming season after missing last year’s playoffs.

No team that failed to make the postseason is getting more buzz than the 49ers. San Francisco ended 2017 with five straight victories behind Jimmy Garoppolo at starting quarterback, and the signal caller is expected to see the field, at least for the first series, in the 49ers’ preseason opener.

“He’ll play somewhat into the first quarter. We’ll see how long the opening drive is,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday.

There’s also buzz around the Cowboys because of their massive fan base, even after a disappointing 2017 campaign. A 9-7 record wasn’t good enough to get Dallas in the playoffs, though Ezekiel Elliott did miss six games with a suspension. The running back probably won’t play Thursday—he sat the first three preseason games of last year—and it’s unknown if quarterback Dak Prescott will take any snaps.

It’s going to be a lot of Cooper Rush and Mike White, who are competing to be the Cowboys’ No.2 quarterback.

Prescott didn’t throw a preseason pass last year until Week 2, where he registered a perfect passer rating. Dallas would love to see that kind of production from their quarterback this preseason, following what could be considered a sophomore slump. Prescott saw his passer rating drop from 104.9 to 86.6 and he posted a 62.9 completion percentage after converting on more than two-thirds of his attempts as a rookie.

It certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see Dallas make the playoffs, though they’ll have to compete in a difficult division. The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles are favored to win the NFC East. The New York Giants should be improved, and the Washington Redskins could prove to be a postseason contender.

San Francisco has emerged as the second-best team in the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks losing a few of their defensive stars. The 49ers have even received so much Super Bowl buzz that their odds to win the title were 10/1 at Monmouth Park when the New Jersey sportsbook first began to legally take bets on sports two months ago.

The 49ers opened as the week’s biggest favorites, per OddsShark, laying 3.5 points at home. The game’s over/under is 35 just hours before kickoff.