Oh my, how the landscape of the NFL, and particularly the topsy-turvy NFC East, can change so suddenly. Just a few weeks ago many Dallas Cowboys fans wanted Jason Garrett’s head on a stick. Two wins later those same fans are praising Garret’s defiance and the team’s resilience as the Boys are within a game of first-place with a Week 12 Turkey Day showdown against the Washington Redskins to try and complete the turnaround. Moving on with Colt McCoy as their quarterback, the Skins opened as a 7-point dog on the opening NFL betting line.
Watch this Week 12 regular season matchup live on Thursday, November 22, 2018, at 4:30 p.m. ET at ATT Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Washington Redskins +7
Dallas Cowboys -7
Over/Under 40.5
The Skins are the only team in the NFC East with a winning record and they lead the division by a game heading into their Thanksgiving Day clash with the Boys. But Washington is a beaten and battered club and the advantage is tenuous at best. And the Skins will have to navigate the remainder of the season with backup McCoy behind center after Alex Smith was lost for the year with a broken leg last weekend.
It would be easy to discount a team after losing its starting quarterback, but we have seen teams thrive under the guidance of the backup. And the Skins can look to a division rival from last season as inspiration. Sure, the circumstances are much different than what the Eagles faced last season when Carson Wentz went down late in the year. Philly had a playoff spot secured and they were more concerned about getting Nick Foles ready for the postseason.
McCoy jumps in and given the situation, the Skins couldn’t ask for anything more. The backup has been with the team since 2014 and knows the system better than Jay Gruden. However, he’s thrown just 23 passes over the last four seasons, and 12 of those came last week when he replaced Smith in the second half. Just to show he wasn’t rusty, McCoy tossed a touchdown pass on his first throw since the 2015 season. That’s right, he hadn’t even attempted a pass in three years.
McCoy led the Skins on a touchdown drive with their next possession and they actually had the lead after trailing by as many as 10 points. His numbers were about what you’d expect from a guy who hasn’t thrown a pass in regular season game in some time. He completed 6 of 12 for 54 yards with the scoring toss to Jordan Reed. However, he was shaky in the pocket facing a live pass rush and was sacked twice.
You can expect more from McCoy now that he has the reins. He’ll get first-team reps in practice and should have good command of the offense. The Cowboys have an underrated defense and it won’t be easy, but look for McCoy to have plenty of opportunities throwing the football with a running game that produced just 56 yards from non-quarterbacks last week. Dallas has the fifth-best run defense and stopping Adrian Peterson will be their focus. And that will allow McCoy to take shots early in the game, so play him on the live betting lines at BookMaker.eu.
The Cowboys have a boring offense, but the addition of Amari Cooper has given opposing defenses something to think about. Coop had just three catches for 36 yards last week and has totaled 14 receptions for 169 yards in his three games. While the numbers aren’t mind-blowing, his presence on the field has opened things up for Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke had his second straight 100-yard rushing game Sunday against the Falcons, going for 122 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown. He’s benefitted more from Cooper being in the lineup than Dak Prescott has. Over the last two games, Elliott has 273 rushing yards with a touchdown in each contest. Zeke had his worst game of the season when these teams met in DC earlier this year, going for 33 yards with a 2.2 yards per carry average. That will change and Elliott is a definite play on a prop bet to exceed his total number of rushing yards at BookMaker.eu.
Redskins at Cowboys Live Betting
Neither team does a lot offensively so it would be a safe bet to say points will be scarce. The play of their defense is what’s kept them in games all season and the Skins will play conservatively with McCoy at the helm, and that will keep the game low-scoring and close. The first half total isn’t going to be very high, but it’s a number that these two will have a difficult time reaching. Play below the first half scoring line on the live betting feature at BookMaker.eu.
NFL Betting Odds
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
