Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys begin their regular season at FedEx Field, where they’ll take on a revamped Washington team. The Cowboys were 3-2 in the preseason, but the offense didn’t look sharp at all, and owner Jerry Jones is looking for them to pick up as the Cowboys aim to be the first team in NFL history to play in the Super Bowl when their stadium is hosting it. Rookie receiver Dez Bryant, who NCAA football betting players will remember from his time at Oklahoma State before he was suspended, will be ready after sitting out the preseason with an ankle sprain. Bryant was supposed to challenge Roy Williams for the other spot opposite Miles Austin, but he’s behind in game action now, so look for the Cowboys to bring him along slowly. The Cowboys are actually a 3.5-point favorite on the road on Sunday night, and they’ve won three in a row against the Redskins, including two on the road.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers’ MLB betting odds are going downhill slowly as they had lost five in a row ahead of Wednesday’s game in Toronto, and even though they have a healthy seven-game lead in the American League West, that’s about the only thing that is healthy in Texas. Josh Hamilton has a rib injury that will sideline him indefinitely, and the Rangers are just hoping that their Triple Crown threat will be back for the postseason. Ace Cliff Lee had been struggling anyway, but he has a bad back and had to miss his last start. This doesn’t leave the Rangers in a very good position as they look to shake out of their slump, but they’re going to have to figure something out because after they finish their four-game set in Toronto (of which they lost the first two games), the Rangers then head home to take on the New York Yankees, who have baseball’s best record. The Rangers are hoping that Lee will be ready for the series finale on Sunday, but he’s penciled in. Next week, the Rangers have a quick two-game set at home with the Detroit, and a day off after the Yankees’ series is just what they need. If the Rangers have any more serious injuries, you’ll see their online sports betting odds fall very quickly.

On the other hand you have our beloved Cowboys who looked pathetic in the preseason, squandering pretty much all of their scoring opportunities. Hopefully they were just being conservative in the preseason, however last years stats say otherwise. Think about this, the Cowboys ranked 2nd right behind the Saints in yards per game with just under 400. However when you look at points per game the Saints maintain the #1 spot with 31 points per game, the Cowboys on the other hand ranked #14 with 22.6 points per game. The offense was inefficient last year, and it looks inefficient this year. I think Seth Eisenburg’s quote that “If it looks like $h@t, smells like $h@t, and feels like $h@t, you don’t have to actually eat it to know it’s $h@t.” applies here. Don’t get me wrong I think the Cowboys are still going to win some games, I just question keeping Jason Garrett around if the offense is so inefficient it needs almost 200 yards per 7 points.

So in summary the Redskins are old at their skill positions: QB McNabb 33, RB Portis 29, WR Galloway 38, WR Moss 31 and these are all injury prone players. This and the fact that the Cowboys are so inefficient on offense should make for a low scoring game. I am taking the under on the spread if it is anywhere north of 40 (currently 40.5) and picking the Cowboys to cover the point spread anywhere south of a touchdown (currently -3.5). Below is all of the important information you need for the Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins game including the TV Channel, Parking Information, Point Spread, Tickets, and over under.

Cowboys-Redskins Day/Date: Sunday, September 12
Cowboys-Redskins Kickoff Time: 7:20PM Central Time
Cowboys-Redskins TV Channel: NBC
Cowboys-Redskins Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
Cowboys-Redskins Point Spread: Dallas Cowboys -3.5 | Washington Redskins +3.5
Cowboys-Redskins Over-Under Odds: 40.5
Cowboys-Redskins Cowboys Stadium Parking Information
Cowboys Redskins Tickets: Get Great Tickets on StubHub.com!

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Sources: Midwest Sports Fans, NFL.com, DallasCowboys.com

In a move that the betting world was expecting for some time, the Dallas Cowboys moved wide receiver Patrick Crayton. It was originally thought that the Cowboys       would simply cut Crayton prior to the start of the regular season, but in a move of respect the Cowboys traded Crayton to the San Diego Chargers.

The NFL betting experts are calling San Diego a Super Bowl contender this year, and with the status of superstar receiver Vincent Jackson up in the air, acquiring Crayton makes sense for the Chargers. If Jackson does come back this season for the Chargers, then San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers will have two good targets to throw to.

The move helps solidify the places of rookie receivers Dez Bryant and Kevin Ogletree on the Cowboys’ roster. Bryant was a huge factor in the NCAA football betting that went on last season, and now that he is cleared to play in the opening game against the Washington Redskins, Bryant looks to make an impact at the pro level as well. Ogletree is a developing rookie that is making a name for himself on special teams.

The Cowboys look to be beaten up on the offensive line as they enter the opening week of the season. Most notable is the injury to starting right tackle Marc Colombo who has been sidelined for weeks with a bad knee. Also on the shelf is guard Kyle Kosier who has been fighting a knee injury all training camp.

Neither offensive lineman practiced early this week, and Colombo’s status for the opening game has been in doubt for at least two weeks. Without two of their starting five offensive linemen in place for the season opener, and the guard spot left open by the release of Flozell Adams still a sore spot for the Cowboys, that could leave a huge door open for the Washington Redskins on opening day.

The football betting world is familiar with final cut-down day in the NFL preseason. It is the single most brutal day in training camp as teams have to cut down from 75 players to 53 in one day. One of the players the Cowboys let go was nose tackle Junior Saivii. Some observers of the team thought Saivii was a lock to make the team because he is the only other true nose tackle on the team besides starter Jay Ratliff. As Ratliff’s back-up last season, Saivii would come in on third down and special teams plays to help give Ratliff a rest. But with Saivii gone, the Cowboys now need to get creative.

Defensive lineman Marcus Spears could be called in to play nose tackle from time to time as well as rookie Josh Brent. Spears has very little experience at nose tackle and almost none at the pro level. If Ratliff gets injured this season, it is doubtful that the Cowboys would turn the nose tackle position over to Brent, or permanently move Spears to the middle. In that scenario, Saivii could find himself back on the Cowboys roster playing nose tackle.

He makes more money, doesn’t seem to be able to stay healthy, has lacked a burst the last two seasons. Choice is younger and cheaper and would be a good complement to Felix Jones. If you’re trading one of these guys, then you have to take a running back in the draft, IMO.
Todd Archer’s Mention: Marion Barber Trade

Old speculation on a possible Marion Barber trade is also on the NFL.com Blogs

Executives around the league think Cowboys RB Marion Barber could be available, but he’s believed to be the least attractive player in a backfield that includes Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.
NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora Mention: Marion Barber Trade

More Info as it comes out…

In that game, the Cowboys looked out of sync, discombobulated, and worn down as they were physically beaten by the Texans and raised some eye brows about the super bowl contender.

Will the red zone woes from last season carry over to this season? Can the offensive line hold up enough to keep Romo off his back? Or, can Alan Ball and Gerald Sensabaugh provide the consistent play at the safety positions this defense has desperately needed in past years.

So, here are four concerns for the Cowboys going into the last preseason game.  More importantly, these are areas they need to address with the regular season right around the corner:

1. Red Zone Offense
   Last year, the Cowboys offense ranked second in total yards gained per game averaging 399.4.  However, it did not transfer over to points as they were ranked 14^th in points per game averaging 22.6.Most of the problems came from little to no production in the red zone, which has also been a problem for the Cowboys in this preseason.  Coming into training camp, this one of the areas they wanted to address with the offense along with short yardage situations. So far and based off their production, they have not shown much progress.

   In four preseason games, the first team offense has only scored one touchdown which came against the San Diego Chargers.  Not exactly a sign of progression that you want to see if you’re a Cowboys fan.

   What could be the problem? My answer would be the play selection by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.  Too many times, Garrett decides to pass out of a shotgun formation as was the case in the first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

   The Cowboys drove effectively down the field and stalled when they got to the red zone which happened so many times last year.  They ended up going 0-for-3 with three straight pass plays out of the shotgun inside the 10-yard line and settled for a field goal.

   It’s OK to be creative down in the red zone using different types of formations. However, I think the offense will be a lot more successful if Garrett calls plays more out of running formations because of the threat of all three running backs carrying the ball to go along with the plethora of talent Romo has to throw to.

   If the Cowboys want to see their yards gained translate into points, Jason Garrett needs use the run more which will eventually set up play action pass opportunities in the red zone.

2. Offensive Line
   This group has been hit by injuries throughout the entire preseason including starters tackle Marc Colombo and guard Kyle Kosier.  Also, off-season acquisition tackle Alex Barron was bothered by a sprained right ankle and missed crucial time to get acclimated to his new system.
   Because of this, it gave some unproven guys an opportunity to show they can be called upon if needed in the regular season.  Unfortunately for Romo, he hopes none of his starters get hurt when the season comes around because he took a pounding in the last three preseason games.

   If the Cowboys want to have success this season, their number one priority should be protecting Romo because he is the most important player on this team.

3. The Safety Spots
   Both safety positions have been an area of concern for the Cowboys for what seems to have been an eternity.  This year, they feel that free safety Alan Ball and strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh can finally provide some stability.Last season in his first year with the Cowboys, Sensabaugh showed he can be a mainstay at that position with his versatility in coverage along his hitting ability.

   Ball, the cornerback turned safety, is felt that he can provide more playmaking ability on the football which has been an emphasis during training camp for the secondary.  In the preseason, Ball had been playing good but did not look so well in the game against Houston. He was caught out of position with missed tackles while trying to the run and getting burned for a touchdown by wide receiver Jacoby Jones.

   Behind Ball and Sensabaugh, are safeties Mike Hamlin, Barry Church, and Danny McCray. Do not expect Sensabaugh to get his spot taken by any of these guys. However, if Ball does not play up to par, expect Hamlin to get the nod at his position.

4. Is David Buehler Ready?
   Along with the uncertainty at the safety spots, the kicker position has been a mystery for the Cowboys in recent years.   Last season, former kicker Nick Folk went from good to atrocious and was cut after the win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 15.Now, with kickoff specialist David Buehler handling all the kicking duties, the question is whether he can be an efficient and constant field goal kicker.

   Well, in the preseason, Buehler has done a decent job going 6-of-7 making all of his attempts inside the 40-yard line.  His lone miss was from 50 yards which sailed far left in the preseason opener. However, it’s going to be interesting to see how he performs in pressure situations when the games start to count for real.

Image Credit: Dallas News