Dallas opened the season with the best odds of making the Super Bowl in the conference, and the second-best to win it all behind the New England Patriots. However, the looming suspension of Elliott casts a large shadow and could be hurting Dallas’ chances. The Cowboys certainly have an elite roster, and the continued evolution of Prescott will be key as Dallas pushes for a deeper playoff run in 2017.
Super Bowl 52 Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
New England Patriots +310
Dallas Cowboys +1000
Seattle Seahawks +1100
Green Bay Packers +1200
Pittsburgh Steelers +1300
Atlanta Falcons +1500
Oakland Raiders +1500
Kansas City Chiefs +2000
Denver Broncos +2500
New York Giants +2500
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2800
Carolina Panthers +3000
Houston Texans +3000
Arizona Cardinals +3500
Minnesota Vikings +3500
Indianapolis Colts +4000
Tennessee Titans +4000
Baltimore Ravens +4500
Philadelphia Eagles +5000
New Orleans Saints +5000
Cincinnati Bengals +5500
Los Angeles Chargers +6500
Miami Dolphins +6500
Detroit Lions +6500
Washington Redskins +6500
Jacksonville Jaguars +8000
Buffalo Bills +9000
Chicago Bears +12500
Los Angeles Rams +15000
San Francisco 49ers +30000
Cleveland Browns +30000
New York Jets +30000
Key Factors For Winning the Super Bowl
Weathering The Elliott Suspension – The NFL announced that the star tailback will be suspended for the first six games of the season for domestic violence. Elliott has appealed the penalty, but it seems likely that he will be sidelined for a significant chunk of action. Elliott burst onto the scene a year ago, carrying the ball 322 times for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging a robust 5.1 yards per clip. Even if he’s lost, though, the Cowboys’ running game could be OK. Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden don’t have the same natural talent, but they are former starters in the league who will be running behind the best offensive line in the NFL. That duo should be able to produce at least league average numbers in order to help Dallas stay afloat in the earlygoing. This is certainly not ideal, as the Cowboys are pushing for a top seed in the postseason and as much home field advantage it can get, but it’s not a death knell.
Continued Defensive Progress -- The Cowboys were expected to be held back by their defense in 2016, but the unit played much better than projected. Dallas allowed 19.1 points per game, which was fifth in the NFL. If the Cowboys can pull off a similar feat in 2017, it should again set themselves up for another NFC East title. Linebacker Sean Lee led the way last season, accumulating 145 tackles and a fumble recovery on his way to a Pro Bowl selection. The team should be buoyed by the addition of Jaylon Smith, who slipped in the draft last season due to injury and missed the whole year but has star potential if he doesn’t show any ill effects.
Prescott’s Next Step -- It was a huge surprise to see the fourth-round pick step in immediately and dominate. Prescott finished with 3,667 yards passing with 23 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl and looked like a wily veteran throughout. If Prescott can do it again, he will already make his mark as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. However, he was put in a perfect situation a season ago. If Elliott isn’t playing and the running game falls off a bit, the pressure on him will be higher and it will be interesting to see how he responds.
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