With the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys are locked back into a tie for the NFC East lead. Dallas hosts Philly in a crucial division clash on November 27, but the Cowboys shouldn’t look too far ahead just yet. They still have to deal with another big division rival in the New York Giants, who would like nothing more than to spoil the Cowboys’ postseason plans.
The New Orleans Saints’ hopes of a postseason berth are getting less and less likely by the week after suffering a shock home-losing streak. See if they finally recover in our Monday Night preview of the Ravens vs. Saints. Meanwhile, check out our preview of one of the marquee division rivalries below.
[sc:Football ]Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
When: Sunday, November 23, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) at New York Giants (+3.5); total 48.5 – see all NFL lines
Betting on the Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo put to bed any lingering concerns over his injured back with an extremely efficient game in Dallas’ 31-17 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars over in London. Romo completed 74 percent of his passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns as the Cowboys snapped a two-game losing skid.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Romo should be helped by having the bye week to rest up that troublesome back ahead of the Cowboys’ game on night against the New York Giants. Romo was just as efficient in his first meeting against the Giants last month as he was against the Jags. He similarly completed 74 percent of his passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns.
As always, Romo will be backed up by that terrific running game, which should be very effective moving the ball against a Giants defense ranked dead last in the league in stopping the run.
DeMarco Murray hasn’t carried the ball over 19 times in each of his last three games, but that hasn’t prevented the Cowboys from gaining over 150 rushing yards against the equally inept defenses of the Redskins and Jaguars. Murray gashed the Giants last month for 128 yards on 28 carries in a 31-21 win.
Wide receiver Dez Bryant also torched the Giants with 151 receiving yards, and will be in fine form after he set a new season-high with 158 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars.
The Cowboys have won and covered in three of their last four road games against the Giants.
Betting on the New York Giants
Eli Manning and his teammates certainly weren’t exchanging any high-fives after the Giants’ 16-10 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Manning threw five interceptions, including a costly pick on fourth-down with less than five minutes to go to seal the Giants’ fifth consecutive loss. New York wasn’t favored in those five games, but still couldn’t cover the spread in any one of them.
The Niners game was by far Manning’s worst game of the season, statistically speaking. Aside from the five picks, he also completed just 49 percent of his passes and finished with a 36.6 passer rating, his lowest mark by far this season.
However, Manning did have one of his best games of the year against the Cowboys last month, when he completed 63 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Odell Beckham Jr. burst onto the scene in that game with two big touchdowns, and has gone on to be Manning’s favored target. Beckham is averaging seven catches for 119 yards in the three games since, and should get his share of targets against the Cowboys’ questionable secondary.
However, the Giants’ main concern continues to be keeping the opposition from scoring. Even taking into account the 16 points they allowed against a so-so San Francisco offense, the Giants are still giving up an average of over 30 points in their last five games.
The total has gone over in eight of the Cowboys’ last 10 meetings with the Giants.
Writer’s Prediction
Romo and the Cowboys roll over the Giants to win and cover on the road. Create a betting account now and take part in one of the biggest division rivalries in the entire NFL.
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