Super Bowl Odds (for XLV): Cowboys +1215

NFC Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Cowboys +685

Heading Into The Offseason

The general NFL betting crowd may not see the difference between how the Dallas Cowboys head into the 2010 offseason versus the 2009 offseason, but the true fans of America’s team have a completely different mood.

In 2009, the Cowboys were blown out in the final week of the regular season and were kept from the playoffs. They headed into the offseason wondering whether Tony Romo was a franchise quarterback, whether Wade Phillips is a reliable head coach and whether the psyche of the team was strong enough to win in December and January.

Heading into the 2010 offseason, the feeling is completely different.

Sure, the Cowboys were blown out in their divisional playoff game with the Minnesota Vikings, but there is a good foundation heading into the 2010 offseason. Romo is the answer at quarterback, Phillips received an extension and the Cowboys have one of the best young cores in the NFL.

Breakout seasons from Mike Jenkins and Anthony Spencer have boosted the defense while a stellar season from Miles Austin has reignited confidence in a big-play offense.

The Cowboys aren’t missing much from a Super Bowl run and they just need to pick up some parts to supplement what they have.

Breakout Seasons

While many people expected first-round picks Anthony Spencer and Mike Jenkins to be key cornerstones at one point for the Cowboys, not many people were expecting Miles Austin to be the big-play threat on offense.

Roy Williams was supposed to replace Terrell Owens but it was Austin, who went from obscurity to the Pro Bowl.

He finished the year with 81 catches for 1320 yards and 11 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Spencer finished the year with 67 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception while Jenkins had 49 tackles and five interceptions for the Cowboys.

Kicking

You don’t need to look into your crystal ball of NFL predictions to know that the Cowboys need to find a new place kicker.

Once Nick Folk went sour on the Cowboys, they tried out Shaun Suisham and Washington Redskins fans knew it was just a matter of time before he ruined things for them.

Folk was a real disappointment after making the Pro Bowl just two years ago and Suisham was never the long term answer. The Cowboys need to find a solution if they plan to make a serious Super Bowl run next year.

Super Bowl Odds: Cowboys +705

Sunday, January 17, 1:00 p.m. ET

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Vikings -3

Cowboys offense vs Vikings defense

Normally, the Minnesota Vikings defense would be a very tough matchup for the Cowboys but this unit has not been as strong as it was in the early parts of the year.

The Vikings were thrashed by the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears down the stretch of the season, which really opened some eyes.

It’s typically tough to run on the Vikings up the middle but the Cowboys offensive line has been very good in the last month of the season. Don’t be too surprised if the Cowboys find some running room.

Beyond that, the Vikings really miss their middle linebacker, E.J. Henderson, who is out for the season, and backup Jasper Brinkley has been exposed in coverage regularly. On top of that, the safety situation for Minnesota is a question mark as both starters have underachieved and the teams top cornerback, Antoine Winfield, is dealing with a foot injury.

The Cowboys could be the hottest offense – and team – left in the playoffs. While the Vikings could probably beat them on a good day, the question is will the Vikings have a good day? The Cowboys have sloped upwards in the last month of the season while the Vikings defense has sloped down. They better hope the bye week got them on track.

Cowboys defense vs Vikings offense

The Cowboys defense will face a different challenge this week: beating a team that runs the ball. The last few opponents that Dallas has played haven’t bother running it too much but the Vikings will try. The question is will they have any success?

NFL betting fans have to be asking themselves what has happened to Adrian Peterson. He has disappeared in the later stages of the year unless he’s been coughing up fumbles, and the Vikings have been forced to rely on Brett Favre solely.

The Cowboys defense has given up 31 points total in their last four games. The game plan is simple and similar: shut off the run and then tee off on the quarterback. Stopping the run will be the key.

Outlook

The Vikings have been brutal down the stretch but a bye week can change things. Even so, these are two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum right now. The Cowboys are hot while the Vikings are not. If the Cowboys force the game onto Favre’s arm and they don’t make any mistakes, they will win and move on.

NFL Picks: Cowboys +3

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, January 10, 8:00 p.m. ET

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Cowboys -4

Cowboys offense vs Eagles defense

The formula should be the same, but what kind of adjustments will be made?

Last week, sports wagering handicappers saw the Cowboys play with a fire that was fueled from revenge from a previous Week 17 loss, but will the Cowboys be as hungry this time around?

The Cowboys had their running game going as Marion Barber and Felix Jones each ran for 91 yards. Meanwhile, quarterback Tony Romo was superb once again and has now achieved a quarterback rating of 100 or higher in five of his last six games.

Considering Miles Austin has stepped up as the big playmaker in the passing game and Jason Witten is as reliable as can be, the Cowboys have a very versatile unit right now.

More importantly, all of their parts are hot.

Read the rest of the article after the jump.

Cowboys defense vs Eagles offense

While the Cowboys offense played well, it’s on this side of the field where the results for this Saturday will be determined.

The Eagles lost starting center Jamaal Jackson for the season two weeks ago and their offensive line has been shaky since. The line got no push for the running game and quarterback Donovan McNabb was sacked four times. More importantly, for a second game this season, the Cowboys shutdown explosive wideout DeSean Jackson.

Without a running game, the Eagles will have a tough time extending their drives. They need the big plays from Jackson to soften up the Cowboys defense but the Cowboys are content blanketing him and allowing everything else.

Look for a similar game plan and considering the Cowboys have the edge on the line of scrimmage here, the results should be similar.

Outlook

It’s always tough to beat a team two weeks in a row but the Cowboys have the right formula: run the ball, avoid mistakes and cover DeSean Jackson.

Internet betting cappers may expect D-Jax to bust loose at some point in this game but the Eagles may need more than that. Their run defense was exposed last week and they were absolutely crushed in the time of possession battle (Cowboys had the ball for 40:23).

The Eagles rely on big plays and as long as the Cowboys don’t give them up, they will advance.

NFL Picks: Cowboys -4

NFL Week 17: Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, January 3, 4:15 p.m. ET

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Cowboys -3

Cowboys offense vs Eagles defense

Very quietly, the Cowboys offense is improving on a weekly basis but nobody seems to notice.

While Roy Williams never developed into that No. 1 receiver everyone was hoping he would be, Miles Austin clearly is. And with the defensive attention being focused on him, internet betting cappers are seeing the Cowboys exploit the middle of the field more often.

Tight end Jason Witten had his third 100-yard receiving game on Sunday and considering how weak the Eagles linebacking corps has been this season, the Cowboys should have an advantage over the middle all day long.

Meanwhile, the much-maligned quarterback, Tony Romo, finally threw his first interception in four games (167 attempts) and has a quarterback rating of 100 or more in four of his last five games. Throw in the running game, which should be particularly effective against the Eagles, and the Cowboys should have a good game if they continue to avoid mistakes.

Cowboys defense vs Eagles offense

The Cowboys defense has also played noticeably well in the last few games. After getting smoked on the road against the New York Giants, the Cowboys defense has allowed just 37 points in the three games since.

This week, the Eagles may be in tough as the Cowboys front three of Jay Ratliff, Igor Olshansky and Marcus Spears are among the best fronts for a 3-4. Meanwhile, the Eagles lost starting center Jamaal Jackson for the year, which makes stopping a 3-4 that much harder.

The Eagles have a big-play offense but they have become increasingly one-dimensional in recent weeks. They strictly pass with the occasional run and considering the Cowboys dominated an offense like this two weeks (see: New Orleans), the Cowboys should have the upper hand here too.

Outlook

Last year, the Eagles embarrassed the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 and now the Cowboys have a chance for revenge. There’s a good chance we’ll see this matchup in the first round of the playoffs as well, so both teams will be conscious of that.

Even so, sports handicapping experts should see the Cowboys pull this one out. Assuming they don’t turnover the ball regularly, they should have enough advantages – especially playing at home – to win this game.

NFL Picks: Cowboys +7

Dallas Mavericks (20-9, 1^st in Southwest)

It was a bit of hectic week for the Dallas Mavericks, who got a big scare when their star forward Dirk Nowitzki took out a couple of Houston Rockets forwards Carl Landry’s teeth. Unfortunately for Nowitzki, he didn’t just knock out Landry’s teeth, they were stuck in his elbow. Originally, it looked like it might be a very serious injury but less than a week later, Nowtizki was back in the lineup against the Portland Trail Blazers. A lot of internet sports betting sharps quickly bet up Dallas but they ended up losing 85-81 at home.

Nowitzki’s elbow is extremely sore and there is a chance of infection, but the good news for Mavericks fans is that he’s back in the lineup.

Dallas Stars (16-10-11, 4^th in Pacific)

When sportsbooks like 5Dimes (5Dimes Reviews) opened up the regular season point totals for the Dallas Stars, some local fans were disappointed with how low they were.

As we look at the standings nearing the halfway point of the season, the reality is that the odds makers were about right.

The Stars are 4-2-4 in their last 10 games and while the point total is alright thanks to the totals from the overtime losses, the reality that can’t be skirt is that in a league where overtime losses wouldn’t count for anything, the Stars would be 16-21.

Sports handicapping experts know that with a new coach, a new system and finding a new look, the Stars were bound to go through some growing pains. This could be a team that finds its stride in the second half of the season but right now, they are just looking for some consistency.

Texas Rangers (Offseason)

In the midst of the offseason, one of the biggest pieces of news for the Texas Rangers is that they will have new ownership. Owner Tom Hicks is going to sell the majority share of the team to Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan.

The deal is not final yet, but the main thing that internet gambling sharps want to see is that the course will stay the same.

It’s not that the Rangers are a World Series contender quite yet but they do appear to be a team heading in the right direction. Last year’s 87-75 record was very encouraging and the fans want to know that the course will stay the same.

So far, Ryan and Greenberg have said all the right things.

Week 16

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins

Sunday, December 27, 1:00 p.m. ET

Sports Handicapping Favorite: NO LINE

Cowboys offense vs Redskins defense

The Dallas Cowboys offense shredded the New Orleans Saints last week and with an extra day to prepare for the feeble Redskins, the Cowboys should have plenty more success. Playing back-to-back road games is tough for any team but considering the Cowboys have one more day to prepare and the Redskins have one less day to prepare (they played on Monday Night Football), the Cowboys likely won’t have much trouble.

They’ll take a good look at the blueprint the New York Giants left them from Monday night. The Redskins defense was picked apart and the Cowboys will aim to do a lot of the same.

While most sports betting pundits just want to blindly rip Tony Romo because it’s the month of December, the reality is that he has played great in recent weeks. Romo has four straight games with a quarterback rating of 100 or better.

Cowboys defense vs Redskins offense

The Cowboys defense was a big surprise last week as they dominated the line of scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints and never let their dynamic offense get off the ground. The Cowboys had four sacks and two forced fumbles while holding the Saints to just 65 yards rushing.

The Cowboys may get a freebie this week. Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell took a beating against the Giants and he might not play or if he does, he won’t be 100%. Sportsbooks like Bet Jamaica, who usually open the lines (Bet Jamaica Reviews) are keeping the line off the board until more is known.

If Campbell is out, he would be just another in a long line of injuries for Washington. Their top two running backs, top tight end and three of their five starting offensive line are also out.

Outlook

The Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot with a win while the Redskins are already thinking about next year. The Redskins just hired a new General Manager in the middle of the season and they are in the process of hiring a new head coach as well. The team was also interviewing defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and the defensive line coach as well, which means there is bound to be some friction between them and their current boss, Jim Zorn.

The Cowboys will take care of business easily in this game.

Sports Tips: Cowboys

While no one paid much attention to the Dallas Mavericks in the sportsbook when they were leading the Southwest Division after November, they are finally starting to garner some national praise now that they are still in the lead in late December.

Even so, most pundits still believe that the San Antonio Spurs will win the division, the Mavericks have been doing their part so far by winning 19 of their first 26 games.

The Mavs have won five straight and won comfortably on Wednesday, something they haven’t done consistently this year. The Mavs have had some trouble holding on to big leads. A prime example was the 21-point first half lead against New Orleans on Monday that they let slip away. They eventually won by just four points.

The good news, though, is they are 8-1 this year in games decided by five points or less.

Dallas Stars (14-9-10, 4^th in Pacific)

The Dallas Stars were road warriors in the first month of the season but now all of the sudden the magic is gone.

It took eight road games for the Stars to lose their first contest in regulation but recently, they’ve been doing a lot more losing away from home. Those who wager on sports have seen the Stars lose five of their last six games on the road.

There hasn’t been a significant change in philosophy or talent to spark the change, which makes them an enigma right now.

Dallas is struggling. They have notched points in five of their last six games but they only have two wins in their last seven games.

One culprit that can be blamed recently – just on Wednesday – is the penalty kill. Those gambling online should note that the Stars had killed off 42 of their last 44 prior to giving up two power play goals to Carolina en route to a 5-3 loss.

Texas Rangers (Offseason)

It was supposed to be a quiet offseason in Texas given the ownership conundrum but the Rangers were anything but that at winter meetings.

The Rangers shipped off Kevin Millwood and $3 million to the Baltimore Orioles for Chris Ray and Ben Snyder, then used the savings from the deal to sign Rich Harden to a one-year, $7.5 million contract.

Harden comes with the injury risks but he has the upside to be a No. 1 starter as he previous was in the West with the Oakland Athletics.

The simple sportsbook 101 shows that Millwood was just 62-63 in 125 starts with Texas while Harden was 43-24 over that same span.

Cowboys offense vs Saints defense

The Dallas Cowboys have once again turned into Cinderella’s carriage and the proverbial midnight is the month of December. To the uneducated fan, they will be quick to pin the blame on quarterback Tony Romo but the truth is that he has played just fine in the month of December. Through two December games, Romo has 641 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Even so, the Cowboys only converted one third down last week against the Chargers, so not everything is right.

People making their NFL predictions this week probably won’t side with the Cowboys but they do have the perfect offense to beat the Saints. The Cowboys need to run the ball effectively with Marion Barber and Felix Jones, and limit the amount of time that the Saints offense has the football. If they can do that, they’ll have an excellent chance to win this game.

Cowboys defense vs Saints offense

The Cowboys defense will clearly have its hands full. Sportsbooks like Bodog (Bodog Review) have the total for this contest set at a whopping 53.5, so not many people are expecting a field goal match.

The Saints have a prolific passing game with several weapons. Drew Brees is the triggerman and he has several weapons with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush. Clearly, the Cowboys will be overmatched.

Even so, the Saints have been playing closer and closer games over the last few weeks and the Cowboys have more on the line in this contest. That might be enough to motivate them to play with heart on defense.

Outlook

The Cowboys are once again coming apart at the seams and now they face the lone undefeated team in the NFC. That doesn’t sound like the recipe for success.

But even so, the Cowboys have their playoff hopes on the line while the Saints are playing for a perfect season – clearly, the Cowboys should have more pep in their step.

At the end of the day, though, the Cowboys main fault has been execution and while they have an excellent chance to cover the spread in this game, the Saints will find a way to win and stay perfect.

Sports Tips: Cowboys +7

Sportsbook bettors and Cowboy fans shared the sting of defeat last week. What happened? Everything pointed to a Dallas win over the broken New York Giants. Instead, Brandon Jacobs shocked America’s Team with his 74-yard touchdown catch. Dallas will try to pick up the pieces this week but it won’t be easy against the San Diego Chargers, who have won 15 straight December games.

Week 14

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS @ DALLAS COWBOYS

Sunday, December 13, 4:15 p.m. ET

Favorite: Cowboys -3

Cowboys offense vs Chargers defense

Last week we discussed Tony Romo’s historical struggles in December. Against the Giants on December 6, however, the hex was nowhere to be found. Romo threw for a career-high 392 yards and three touchdowns. He and the Cowboy passing attack weren’t the problem. How will Dallas fare against the Chargers’ No. 8 pass defense? It’s tough to say, as the Chargers normally defend the pass well but let Brady Quinn of all people light them up for multiple scores last week.

Romo and the Chargers may battle to a stalemate. NFL odds suggest Romo may score a few big plays with Miles Austin but that the Chargers will also force a turnover or two. Dallas’ better option may be to focus on the running game, as the Chargers allow 117.8 rushing yards per contest – more than any other NFL team with a winning record this season. Dallas’ committee approach yields no stars between Marian Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard choice but the trio has combined to give the ’Boys the league’s No. 8 rushing attack.

Cowboys defense vs Chargers offense

We have to favor San Diego’s offense in this matchup. Phil Rivers simply doesn’t make many mistakes; he’s thrown just six interceptions all season and has none in his last four games versus seven touchdown passes. The Chargers’ No. 6 passing attack has sizzled of late – particularly through the Rivers-to-Antonio Gates connection. The Cowboys are just so-so against the pass so they may have trouble holding Rivers down. The Chargers don’t run too much anymore, only really handing off to LaDainian Tomlinson in scoring situations. If the Cowboys can stake an out an early lead and force San Diego to pass, they’ll have to hope their pass rush does a better job than it did against Eli Manning last week.

Outlook

With Romo possibly shedding his December jinx and the Cowboy runners poised for a big day against the Chargers, America’s Team has a good chance in this one, especially at home. However, it’s tough to ignore San Diego’s momentum – seven straight wins this season and 15 straight in December are impressive.

In the end, I like Dallas to pull it out and sports betting sharps should agree. Four of San Diego’s seven straight wins came against Kansas City (twice), Oakland and Denver. Winning on the road against a healthy Dallas team is another story. I like the Cowboys’ more balanced offense to make the difference in this one. They’re good football picks for Week 14.

The Cowboys and NFL betting fans alike enjoyed Thanksgiving Day immensely. While we feasted on Turkey, the Cowboys feasted on the Raiders. Can they keep their momentum going against the reeling New York Giants this week?

Week 13 – DALLAS COWBOYS @ NEW YORK GIANTS

Sunday, December 6, 4:15 p.m. ET

Favorite: Cowboys -2.5

Cowboys offense vs Giants defense

Tony Romo dazzled against a solid Raiders pass defense last week, recapturing his big-play connection with Miles Austin. But that was November – Romo’s best statistical month – and that was a home game in comfy Dallas. Now, Romo enters December, during which he has a 71.9 rating and 14:19 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Nursing a sore back, he travels to the Meadowlands to face a Giants team that picked him off twice in Week 2.

In theory, Romo should do some damage to the Giants since they’re missing Kenny Phillips from the secondary and just lost linebacker and defensive captain Antonio Pierce for the season. Despite their injuries, the Giants still have the NFL’s No. 4 overall defense, but that rank reflects a cupcake early schedule in which they beat Washington, Tampa, Kansas City and Oakland. Online sportsbook sharps will point out that New York has struggled to contain good offensive groups like New Orleans, Arizona, Philadelphia, San Diego and Atlanta. Even if Romo’s December jitters return, the Cowboys can capitalize on Pierce’s absence and run the football.

Cowboys defense vs Giants offense

After preying on the weak early in the season, the Giants’ offense is regressing. Brandon Jacobs just can’t break through for that big game and Eli Manning’s foot continues to hinder him on his dropbacks. The Cowboys allow a fair amount of passing yardage but they at least pressure the quarterback well; 23 of their 28 team sacks have come in their last seven games – an average of 3.3 sacks per contest. The increasingly immobile Manning has eaten 11 sacks, thrown four interceptions and fumbled three times in his last four games. The Cowboys will likely pressure him early and often.

Outlook

The Giants’ loss to a mentally broken Denver team defied logic last week. I do therefore have the slightest inkling that the Giants will turn NFL picks on their heads by surging back for an improbable victory on Sunday, punctuated by another Romo implosion. But this is a talented Dallas team and the Giants aren’t anywhere near full strength. Dallas’ front seven should beat Manning up and give the Cowboys offense plenty of scoring opportunities. Let’s give Romo one more chance to show he can win in crunch time and pick the Cowboys to win. All eyes will be on America’s team, though the Texas Longhorns will watch the Florida Alabama odds closely too, awaiting a possible BCS title game opponent.