Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions Odds & Game Pick
The Cowboys are in a heated divisional race with the Philadelphia Eagles, while the Lions are trying to salvage their season without Matthew Stafford. Both teams have been average ATS this season, but the over has hit in seven of the last eight matchups between the teams.
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Details
- Opening Lines: FanDuel had the odds open as Cowboys -2.5; O/U off. The line has moved in favor of the Cowboys due to Matthew Stafford’s back injury.
- Current Line: Cowboys -3.5
- O/U: OFF
- Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Start Time: 1:00 pm ET
- Television: FOX
- Last Meeting: September 30, 2018 – The Cowboys defeated the Lions 26-24 in Dallas.
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Overview
The Cowboys lost a heartbreaker Sunday night in a game where Dak Prescott was absolutely incredible, but Ezekiel Elliott and the running game never got going. The Cowboys are 5-4 and tied with Philly atop the NFC East, but their schedule is very difficult the rest of the way. When you look at the Cowboys’ stats and early-season schedule it’s a bit shocking their record isn’t better.
The Cowboys lead the league in total offense, averaging 437.4 yards per game, rank third in passing yards per game, and fifth in rushing yards per game. They will be taking on a Lions’ defense that is ranked 30th in total yards per game. The Dallas defense is also giving up just 18.9 points per game, good for sixth-best in the league.
The Lions are in the middle of a dire stretch. At one point they were 2-0-1 and an early surprise. They have since lost five of their last six games, and four of those losses were by seven points or fewer. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has fractures in his back and missed last week’s game, his first absence in 136 games. Without him, the Lions’ offense struggled mightily but was still in position to tie the game late against Chicago. There is still no news as to whether or not Stafford will play. If he doesn’t, Jeff Driskel will again assume the starting role.
The Lions’ offense is ranked sixth in the league in total yardage but averages only 96.2 yards per game on the ground. This has a lot to do with the absence of Kerryon Johnson, who was placed on the IR after suffering a knee injury. Without Johnson, the Lions are very one-dimensional, and when you take Stafford out of the passing game, the offense becomes a bit stagnant. They have solid receivers with Marvin Jones Jr., Kenny Golladay, and Danny Amendola, but Driskel needs to get the ball to his playmakers if the Lions are going to have any chance of keeping up with the Cowboys’ offense.
Trends
- The Cowboys are 5-4 ATS this season.
- The Lions are 4-5 ATS this season.
- The Cowboys are 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
- The Lions are 1-4 ATS in their last five games.
- The total has gone over in five of Detroit’s last seven games.
- The total has gone over in seven of the last eight games between the teams.
- The total has gone over in six of Dallas’ nine games this season.
Prop Bet
First Half Over
There is no line yet, but no matter who gets the start for the Lions, this is going to be a high-scoring affair. In the last eight games between these two teams, the over has hit seven times. Obviously, Jeff Driskel is no Matthew Stafford, but he showed last week that he has more than enough ability to make big throws when he needs to. The Cowboys should have no trouble at all putting points on the board. Zeke will look to have a bounce-back game against a weak rush defense, and while that would normally slow a game down, he should get enough chunk yardage that it won’t slow down the pace too much.
Bottom Line
If Matthew Stafford plays this is a possible moneyline play. The Lions have been in every game they’ve played this season, even last week when Jeff Driskel led the way against the Bears. They’re still not a team that is ready to make a playoff push, but there have been a lot of missed opportunities this year. At Ford Field, they’re a very tough team to beat. However, if Stafford doesn’t play, the Lions aren’t going to be able to score with the Cowboys. Ezekiel Elliott should be able to find plenty of running room, and Dak Prescott should continue his impressive season. The Lions will score points but will struggle to keep up because Jeff Driskel just isn’t Matthew Stafford. Wait to see what happens with Stafford, but if he’s out, the Cowboys are the play.
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Philip Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Philip, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.