cowboys
NFL Week 17: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
- Romo looks to win in Dallas
There is only one game in Week 17 that features a playoff spot on the line or a postseason sitting home for both teams: Sunday night’s Dallas at New York Giants matchup, as the winner claims the NFC East title.
New York and Dallas are both 8-7, so the winner will earn the No. 4 seed and a home matchup with Detroit or Atlanta next weekend. The loser is eliminated, and a tie would give the crown to the Giants thanks to their 37-34 road victory over the Cowboys on Dec. 11.
The Giants won a wild game against the Jets in Week 16, which made the Cowboys/Eagles matchup meaningless. But Cowboys QB Tony Romo injured his hand early in that game. Although he’s missed practice time, he’s expected to play Sunday. The teams met in Week 14, with New York squeaking out a narrow victory in a game in which good defense was difficult to come by (954 total yards, 71 points).
Romo has been magnificent this season, throwing 29 touchdowns and just nine interceptions with a career-best 102.2 passer rating — the league’s fourth-best mark. He was bypassed for the Pro Bowl, however, in favor of the Giants’ Eli Manning.
Manning is enjoying a stellar year with a career-high 4,587 passing yards — the NFL’s fourth-highest total. He owns the league’s second-best fourth-quarter passer rating at 107.5, guiding the Giants to come-from-behind victories in the final period five times. His most recent comeback was in the first meeting with Dallas. Manning threw for 400 yards and led the Giants to two touchdowns in the final 3:14 to rally them from a 34-22 deficit.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride did an excellent job of proving LT David Diehl help working against OLB DeMarcus Ware with the Giants playing from behind without handcuffing the passing game in the first meeting. The Giants would love to establish a solid ground game early, giving Manning more security, and one-on-one matchups, working off play-action.
Romo has not traditionally played well in games of this magnitude, but he must step up with these rivals often squaring off in shootouts. Romo would be helped tremendously if RB Felix Jones is fully recovered from his hamstring injury and can contribute early. It will help if his O-line can slow down Pro Bowl DE Jason Pierre-Paul, who dominated in the previous matchup with eight tackles, two sacks (one for a safety), a forced fumble and a blocked FG that secured the win.
SA Take: This is a battle that has many implictions. But everything seems to point to Dallas going up to NY and pulling off the upset to us. Add three points in there and we are on Dallas +3 tonight.
NFL Week 14: New York Giants (6-6) at Dallas Cowboys (7-5)
The winner of Sunday night’s game in Big D between the Giants and Cowboys will have control of its own destiny in terms of winning the NFC East – although the two face off again on the final day of the regular season.
Dallas (7-5) leads New York (6-6) by one game. The Giants led the race by two before their current four-game slide. The Cowboys had their four-game win streak snapped thanks to mistakes that included poor clock management in last Sunday’s 19-13 overtime loss at Arizona — a defeat that cost them a chance to clinch the division this weekend.
The Giants, meanwhile, seem buoyed despite last Sunday’s 38-35 last-second loss to Green Bay. After giving the unbeaten Packers their toughest game, New York is looking forward to the chance to move back into first place.
Receiver Mario Manningham, out the last two games with a sore knee, could return for New York. Manningham has three touchdown catches in his last four games against Dallas and would complement a group that includes Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Cruz is fourth in the league with 1,076 receiving yards after three straight 100-yard efforts.
Cowboys star receiver Miles Austin and blocking fullback Tony Fiammetta returned to practice Wednesday and both are expected to play. That should provide help to an offense that has produced three touchdowns over the last two games.
The Giants had been very average rushing the football but were able to get on track in Week 13, when they averaged 5 yards per attempt versus the Packers. Dallas has been inconsistent defending the run, yielding 4.2 yards per attempt. Look for offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride to pound the rock with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw between the tackles to control the tempo of the game.
QBs Eli Manning and Tony Romo have had statistically admirable seasons in lieu of consistent performances. Manning has at least one INT in each of their losses and Romo has gone from a 66.7 QB rating in one week (Oct. 30 loss to Eagles) to a 148.4 two weeks later (Nov. 14 win vs. Bills). Both QBs face ferocious pass rushes, with Giants reserve LT Dave Diehl set to face DeMarcus Ware, who leads the NFL with 15 sacks.
Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray averaged 108.5 yards during the Cowboys’ four-game winning streak before managing just 38 in the Cardinals loss. The New York run D is ranked 23rd in the league, allowing 127 yards per game. The Giants haven’t faced a club that emphasizes the run since Nov. 20, when LeSean McCoy managed 113 yards in a 17-10 Eagles victory.
WAGERWEB.COM NFL FOOTBALL BETS — Dallas by 3½
2011 RECORD VS. SPREAD — New York 5-7, Dallas 4-7-1
SERIES RECORD — Cowboys lead 56-40-2
LAST MEETING — Cowboys beat Giants 33-20, Nov. 14, 2010
LAST WEEK — Giants lost to Packers 38-35; Cowboys lost to Cardinals 19-13 OT
GIANTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (9), RUSH (32), PASS (4)
GIANTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (29), RUSH (23), PASS (29)
COWBOYS OFFENSE — OVERALL (7), RUSH (14T), PASS (7)
COWBOYS DEFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (9), PASS (4)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Last season, teams had already played both regular-season games by mid-November. That Nov. 14 win by Cowboys in New York was first game after coach Wade Phillips was fired and Jason Garrett took over. … Dallas has lost five consecutive Sunday night games. … Giants 2-0 at Cowboys Stadium, including 33-31 win in 2009 that was first regular season game played there. … Eli Manning is most-sacked quarterback by Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware, NFL sacks leader with 15. Ware has sacked Manning nine times in his career. … Manning’s start will be 116th consecutive, matching Ron Jaworski (Philadelphia, 1977-84) for third-longest streak by quarterback in NFL history. Only streaks longer are by Manning’s older brother Peyton (208 for Indianapolis) and Brett Favre (297). … Tony Romo is Cowboys’ seventh starting quarterback since Manning’s starting streak began Nov. 21, 2004. … Giants PK Lawrence Tynes has made franchise-record 147 extra points in a row. … Cowboys have faced two teams — Philadelphia (99) and Washington (102) — more than they have faced Giants (97) in regular season. … Romo goes into 76th career regular-season game just shy of 20,000 yards passing, and joining former Dallas QBs Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach and Danny White to reach that mark. He has 19,975 yards passing with 140 TDs. … With four games left, RB DeMarco Murray has 872 yards rushing, 136 shy of breaking Tony Dorsett’s team rookie record that has held since 1977. NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith ran for 937 yards as a rookie in 1990.
Bills at Cowboys NFL Football Betting Preview
The Bills will try to avoid losing two straight for the first time this season Sunday when they face a Cowboys team trying to make a push for the NFC East lead. And of course this is a return to Dallas for Bills head coach Chan Gailey, who was hired in 1998 to replace Barry Switzer and went 18-14 in two seasons with the Cowboys, leading them to the playoffs twice yet never winning a postseason game.
Buffalo enters off a 27-11 loss to the New York Jets. The Bills — tied with New England as the AFC’s highest-scoring team at 27.8 points per game — failed to reach 20 for the first time this season. They went 3 of 11 on third-down conversions and committed a season-high three turnovers. Ryan Fitzpatrick had two interceptions, giving him six in the last four games.
Dallas had no trouble last week with Seattle to get to .500. The Cowboys’ running game has taken a huge step forward since Felix Jones suffered a high ankle sprain. In the three games Jones has missed, rookie DeMarco Murray has rushed for 466 yards — 42 more than the team’s total through Week 5.
Each team should be starting to feel the heat in their respective divisions, with the Cowboys now trailing the Giants by two games in the NFC East and the Bills in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East. The Giants did everyone a favor by knocking the Patriots down a peg. Now Buffalo can seize the opportunity to take first-place or at least maintain a tie in the division. With the stacked NFC North and South threatening to hog the wild card positions, Dallas needs a run to avoid missing the playoffs.
RB Fred Jackson has been Buffalo’s most consistent threat, with at least 115 yards from scrimmage in all but one game this season. Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, Jackson’s closet comparison in the NFL this season, gashed this Dallas defense for 200 total yards, including 185 rushing, in a 34-7 Eagles Week 8 victory.
The Bills’ offense has been built around a physical ground attack featuring Jackson, who is averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. The Cowboys have been inconsistent defending the run, so look for Gailey to pound the rock early and often to set the tempo of the game and keep the Dallas offense on the sideline.
NFL FOOTBALL BETTING LINE — Cowboys -5.5 (48)
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Buffalo 5-2-1; Dallas 3-4-1
SERIES RECORD — Cowboys lead 7-3
LAST MEETING — Cowboys beat Bills 25-24, Oct. 8, 2007
LAST WEEK — Bills lost to Jets 27-11; Cowboys beat Seahawks 23-13
BILLS OFFENSE — OVERALL (12), RUSH (7), PASS (15)
BILLS DEFENSE — OVERALL (26), RUSH (20), PASS (25)
COWBOYS OFFENSE — OVERALL (7), RUSH (12), PASS (7)
COWBOYS DEFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (10), PASS (16)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES —Buffalo plays next three games, and four of five, on road. … Bills have chance to get to 6-3 for first time since 1999, last time they made playoffs. … Bills RB Fred Jackson grew up in house that was on property where Cowboys Stadium sits. … Buffalo has managed three points off four takeaways last three games after turning 16 takeaways into 79 points first five games. … Twelve sacks by DeMarcus Ware puts him one from overtaking Greg Ellis for fourth-most in single season by Cowboys linebacker. Top three are all Ware, a list topped by his 20 in 2008. … DeMarco Murray is first Dallas running back with multiple 100-yard rushing games in same season since Julius Jones in 2004. Murray had 139 yards against Seattle, his second 100-yard game this season. Rookie record for 100-yard games for a Dallas RB is Duane Thomas’ four in 1970. NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith had three as rookie in 1990
Take the Bills plus the Points
Teaser Bet Today
We are currently considering playing a teaser on the two Texas games today. We like Houston -10 and Dallas -11 but not enough to actually bet them. So, this brings in a different kind of bet that those of you new to sports betting may not know about. A “Teaser Wager” is where you can adjust the spread on a game. The only catch is that you have to play more than one team and the payout is the same as a straight wager. So, if you had a “7 Point Teaser” on the games we are talking about you would then have {Houston -3 and Dallas -4}. The money payout may have slightly higher vig, say -130 to win 100. Both teams must cover to win the bet. And never get too into teasers because they earned that name for a reason.
Check with your local or international sportsbook to see if they offer teaser wagers. Only play them when it makes sense to, which by our account is very rarely.
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- Betting Free Pick
Free NFL Pick: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles won their final game before their bye week and that was obviously a huge victory. They ‘improved’ to 2-4 which isn’t saying a lot but if they had lost to the Redskins and were sitting at 1-5, things would be different heading into this week. Philadelphia has some confidence now and with the Giants losing two weeks ago also, it is just two games out of first place in the NFC East. Despite being two games under .500, Philadelphia has outgained every opponent, and by an average of 100.6 ypg. We won with Philadelphia in that game against the Redskins and pointed out prior to that the problems were with turnovers. They have turned the ball over 14 times in their four losses with at least three in each game and that is not going to help pile up any wins. What makes that even more frustrating for Philadelphia is the fact that it has either had the lead or been within one score in the final five minutes of each of those losses. Against Washington, they won the turnover battle 4-2.
The Cowboys could beconsidered coming off a bye as well as they took care of the Rams with very little problem.The issue with Dallas is the same as it is with the Eagles and that is turnovers.The Cowboys are actually outgaining foes more than the Eagles are but they are just 3-3 to show for it. Turnovers on offense have been the killer and while the Eagles defense has been a liability this season, they are getting healthy and the bye came at a perfect time to key some of those key guys back. Head coach Andy Reid is 12-0 after a bye and whether or not it is just coincidence, this year it comes at a good time as we can still buy the Eagles low as they continue their upswing. With this line, I feel the value is on the Eagles as the linesmakers are saying these teams are even on a neutral field or that Dallas may be even a little bit better. I’m not sure if that is the case as we can’t go by records, but by the fact that the Cowboys have the ability to step on their own foot yet again. The Cowboys are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 road games following a cover as a double-digit favorite while going 5-19 ATS in their last 24 road games after the defense allowed single digits in points in their previous game. Dallas has covered the last five meetings in this series and along with the Eagles rough start, the majority of the action has come in on Dallas yet we have seen the line move in the direction it should not be going.
Free Pick: 3* (230) Philadelphia Eagles
