The 2021 NFL season will start with a huge game between the Dallas Cowboys and the reigning Super Bowl champions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Who gets the first W of the season? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Regular Season Week 1 Game on September 9, 2021
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
When: Thursday, September 9, 2021, 8:20 PM ET
Line: Dallas Cowboys (+7.5) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7.5) – view all 2021 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: NFL Network
Betting on the Dallas Cowboys (+7.5)
Regular Season Record: 0-0
While it’s still not 100% certain that Dak Prescott will be able to give it a go in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL regular season, the general expectation is that he’d be there under center against the Cowboys. Whether Prescott will be ready or not, a lot of focus will be on the Cowboys’ offensive line and how it will do in pass protection. Last season, Dallas was only 20th in offensive quarterback sack percentage (6.44). What’s undeniable is the talent the Cowboys have in the running back position with Zeke Elliott and downfield with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup as the team’s top three receivers. Those wideouts can easily stretch the field for Elliott and for each other as well. Defensively, the Cowboys will showcase rookie linebacker Micah Parsons, who should be ab asset for Dallas’ stop unit that got wrecked a lot in 2020.
The Cowboys are 3-1 against the spread in their last four games overall.
Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7.5)
Regular Season Record: 0-0
The Buccaneers are coming off a season in which they won the Super Bowl, but one thing Tom Brady has yet to do in Tampa is to win a Week 1 game in the regular season. At 44 years old, Brady has still got it. He threw for over 4,600 yards in 2020 to go with 40 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. Tampa has done a pretty good job of surrounding Brady with great talents on offense and in providing the team with an elite defense. Leonard Fournette can have a heavy workload versus the Cowboys to see if Dallas is still bad against the run. Dallas was 31st last season with 158.8 rushing yards allowed per game. Plus, Tampa Bay’s pass rush will be an imposing unit for the Cowboys. The Buccaneers had a lot of success with their pass rush last year when they posted 48 sacks — the fourth-most in the NFL.
The Bucs are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
The Buccaneers win, 29-23.
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