Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys Odds
The Detroit Lions look to improve to 4-0 when they visit the 2-1 Dallas Cowboys Sunday. Odds makers are giving them a fighting chance but have ultimately given the edge to Dallas.
The Cowboys are currently listed as a slim 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 47.
After dominating the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, the Lions looked like the same old team that has struggled over the last decade in the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. They showed they aren’t the same team by overcoming a 20-0 deficit to pull out a 26-23 victory in overtime.
Matthew Stafford was terrific. He completed 32 of 46 passes for 378 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Both touchdown strikes went to star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who finished with seven catches for 108 yards.
The Cowboys are coming off a pair gutsy performances. After an improbable comeback against San Francisco, they overcame a 16-9 second-half deficit to defeat the Washington Redskins 18-16.
Tony Romo, playing with broken ribs, completed 22 of 36 passes for 255 yards with one interception and led the Cowboys to a game-winning field goal with 1:47 remaining.
Placekicker Dan Bailey was good on all six of his field goal attempts.
Dallas likely won’t be able to settle for field goals if it hopes to get past a Detroit team that ranks fourth in the NFL in scoring with 33.7 points per game.
Running the football could be the key for the Cowboys this week. Detroit has been stellar against the pass, ranking fourth in the league with 188 yards allowed per game, but it ranks just 21st against the run with 113 yards allowed per contest.
The Dallas running attack came up big against the Redskins, gaining 125 yards on 4.8 yards per carry. Felix Jones led the way with 114 yards on 8.2 yards per tote despite playing with a separated shoulder.
Detroit doesn’t figure to get much of anything on the ground against a Dallas defense that ranks second in the NFL with 61.3 rushing yards allowed per game, but it could find some success through the air.
The Lions rank fifth in the league with 321.7 passing yards per contest. Dallas allowed Washington’s Rex Grossman to complete 22 of 37 passes for 250 yards with one touchdown and one interception Monday. It did sack Grossman three times, and it may have to rely on its pass rush to foil Detroit’s passing attack this week.
The Cowboys rank first in the NFL with 13 sacks. Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware leads the league with five sacks.
Dallas has won five of the last six meetings in this series with the most recent being a 35-19 home victory on Nov. 21, 2010.
The Lions are just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven meetings with the Cowboys, but they are an impressive 15-5-2 against the number in their last 22 games overall.
The Cowboys are also 1-6 against the spread in their last seven games as a home favorite.
In regard to the total, the over is worth a look. That’s because these two have played to the over in five of the last six meetings.
Jimmy Boyd is off to a hot 6-2-1 start with his Sunday NFL plays this year, and he is a dominant 34-18-1 on all NFL plays (excluding preseason) dating back to last season. Join him this Sunday for more highly rated premium picks!
