We could say that the Dallas Cowboys are two points away from having a perfect season three-quarters of the way into it. Not bad for a team that had so many questions to be answered once the bell rang. And it wasn’t the best of starts to the year for the Boys either. They dropped the opener to the New York Giants but have since won 11 straight to stake their claim as the best team in the league. Dallas gets a chance to avenge that early season loss and clinch the NFC East in this Week 14 confrontation.
Watch this regular season Week 14 matchup live on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at 8:30 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys -3
New York Giants +3
Over/Under 47.5
Odds Analysis
Despite failing to cover in their past two games, the Cowboys remain a solid bet with a 9-3 ATS record. And in those two games, the Skins and Vikings scored late for the backdoor cover. When the teams met in Week 1 there was plenty of doubt surrounding the Cowboys which kept the line at Dallas -1. The Boys opened as a 3-point favorite for this one and come in relatively injury-free after having 10 days off. Dallas has garnered nearly three-quarters of the opening spread bets but don’t look for the line to jump.
Injury Report
Jason Pierre-Paul – Was lifted from the last game after suffering a groin injury and is doubtful to play against Dallas. This would be a significant loss for the Giants’ defense as they go against one of the top offenses in the game. New York’s pass rush in particular could be severely hindered by his absence. New York’s defensive line is also dealing with an injury to tackle Johnathan Hankins, which limited his availability last week. Hankins is a force in the middle for the fifth-ranked run defense
Matchup to Watch
With a playoff spot clinched and the division title a formality, we have to wonder just how motivated the Cowboys will be on Sunday night. Plus, with the rash of injuries so prevalent in the league, we might expect a more cautious approach. The Cowboys are saying all the right things. Jerry Jones mentioned that his team will be ‘business as usual’ in the final quarter of the campaign, but you know the foot eases off the pedal once a goal has been reached.
There still is plenty to play for, however, and that might just be a deciding factor in how this one plays out. Dallas hasn’t clinched the division yet, but they can with a win. And is there a better way to do that than on the home turf of the team that handed you your only loss and is the closest pursuer in the NFC East? Dallas was a different team back in the opener. Prescott was making his first start after being pressed into duty with Tony Romo’s injury, and there was a feeling of déjà vu in Big D after the loss. But, oh, have things changed for the Cowboys since then.
Free ATS Pick
The Giants won six straight games to keep pace in the division, but they never really felt like a dominant team. Looking back on the schedule, only one of those six teams the G-Men beat is currently in contention for a playoff spot and the Ravens are just 7-5 on the year. Winning games is tough in the NFL, so you have to hand it to the Giants for persevering, but boring wins over Los Angeles, Chicago and Cleveland during that run left plenty to be desired from Big Blue. Facing a team on a roll last Sunday, the Giants’ deficiencies were exposed.
The weak run game continues to be a problem forcing Eli Manning to throw the ball way too much. He was picked off twice by the Steelers. The line had a tough time containing the Steelers front and opening holes, and tight end Ladarius Green was allowed to roam uncovered through the secondary. With JPP out and Hankins questionable, the Giants will have a difficult time slowing down the Boys. Prescott won’t be needed to win this game because Elliott will run free like he’s done all season. Oh, and when Prescott wants to throw the ball, he has Jason Witten at his disposal. A tight end that can do more damage than Green did to the Giants secondary.
NFL Odds: Cowboys 31, Giants 21
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