Welcome back to the playoffs, Dallas and Detroit. After a four-year postseason absence, the Cowboys will be riding a four-game winning streak to their wild-card showdown with the Lions, who are making their first playoff appearance since 2012.
Detroit’s defense has been arguably the best defense in the league this season, but can it keep in check a Cowboys offense that’s been lighting teams up over the last quarter of the season? Read on for our complete preview below.
Sunday’s early kickoff sees Andy Dalton lead his Cincinnati Bengals into Indianapolis to face Andrew Luck and the Colts. Check out our preview of that AFC wild-card matchup here.
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Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys Betting Preview
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington
When: Sunday, January 4, 4:40 PM ET
Line: Detroit Lions (+7.5) at Dallas Cowboys (-7.5); total 49.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions couldn’t snap their almost two-and-a-half decade jinx at Green Bay as they fell 30-20 to the Packers. That loss could turn out to be very costly for the Lions, who lose out on a first-round bye as NFC North champions and will now travel to Dallas in the wild-card round.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Lions have struggled on the road this season, with four of their five losses this season coming away from home and all four coming against playoff teams. In three of those games against the Panthers, Cardinals and Patriots, the Lions’ very inconsistent offense (20.1 points per game, 23rd in the NFL) was held to single-digit scoring.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford had three touchdown passes against Green Bay but went just 20 of 41 for 217 yards. Stafford has struggled significantly on the road, where he’s completing just 54 percent of his passes. He had also been held without a touchdown in his last three road games prior to the Green Bay game.
The return to form of wide receiver Calvin Johnson could provide the Lions with some much-needed offense against a subpar Cowboys defense ranked 22nd via DVOA against the pass through Week 16. Johnson had two more touchdown catches against the Packers, taking his total to five in the last five games.
Johnson famously had 329 receiving yards, the most in a four-quarter game in NFL history, last season against the Cowboys.
The Lions’ defense has been ranked No. 1 via DVOA for most of the season, but it will have its hands full against a Cowboys offense firing on all cylinders. Detroit has already faced two of the top six offenses (New England and Green Bay) on the road this season, but it has given up 30 points or more en route to two double-digit losses.
The suspension of star tackle Ndamukong Suh (which is still pending appeal) for his stomp on Aaron Rodgers’ leg will also severely compromise that defense, particularly its ability to keep DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys’ running game in check.
It’s sure to be another wild NFL postseason, so create a betting account now and be a part of all the exciting action.
Betting on the Dallas Cowboys
With the exception of the Seattle Seahawks, no team will enter the playoffs hotter than the Dallas Cowboys. A 44-17 demolition of the Washington Redskins capped off their regular season on a four-game winning streak. They have averaged over 41 points per game with a terrific 21.5-point average margin of victory in those four games, more than enough to comfortably cover the spread in each one.
The offensive trio of quarterback (and possible MVP contender) Tony Romo, running back DeMarco Murray and receiver Dez Bryant has been close to unstoppable. During their winning streak, Romo has a sizzling 75 percent completion percentage and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12:1, six of which have gone to Bryant. Meanwhile, Murray has rushed to the end zone in each of his last five games.
The Cowboys’ defense has been just as impressive. The Dallas D has forced 12 turnovers over the last four games, including two interceptions in each of the last three. The Cowboys, as a result, are plus-nine in turnover differential during that time.
Turnovers could be crucial in a potentially close game, especially with Romo throwing the ball against a Lions defense that has created 20 interceptions this season, second in the NFL. His only two multi-interception games this season – Week 1 vs. San Francisco and Week 13 vs. Philadelphia – were the only times the Cowboys lost with Romo healthy.
Not coincidentally, those two losses came at home, where the Cowboys have been inconsistent. They went just 4-4 (3-5 against the spread) in Jerry World this season. Granted, Romo was injured early against Washington and missed the entire Cardinals game, which contributed heavily to those defeats.
Writer’s Predictions
The Lions’ defense hasn’t shown it can stand up to the elite offenses, which Dallas is at this point. The Cowboys put up enough points to win and cover (-7) at home.
