Opening Line: PICK
Over/Under: 46
Time: 4:25 PM EST Sunday September 11, 2016 on FOX
New York Giants (0-0) vs. Dallas Cowboys (0-0)
Action in the NFC East heats up in the opening week with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the New York Giants. Both of these teams were under .500 last season and the Cowboys are starting the season behind the eight-ball with star QB Tony Romo out for the first few games with a back injury.
The betting line on this game opened with the Cowboys as a -3.5 point spread favorite with Tony Romo in line up and now the NFL Odds Board shows this game as a pick’em to Giants -1. The total line has also seen some movement dropping from 49 points to 46.
In the two games these teams met last season each won at home.
The Giants have mainstays as their key guys in Eli Manning, Rashad Jennings, and Odell Beckham Jr. while the Cowboys are going with a couple of rookies in QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliot. Prescott won the backup job for the Cowboys after a very impressive preseason where he threw for 450 yards with seven TD and no INT’s. He has a lot of pressure being sent into to starting duties with Romo out. Luckily, Prescott will not have to do it all with Elliot in the backfield, a great offensive line, and two big playmakers on the outside in TE Jason Witten and WR Dez Bryant.
The Giants ranked dead last in the NFL last season on defense and they made some solid moves in the off-season to improve their secondary. Jason Pierre-Paul and company for the front line defense of New York has to pressure the young Dallas QB and also keep Elliot from having a big game, as the Cowboys will look to establish the run early.
In the preseason the Giants were 2-2 and the Cowboys were 1-3.
Last season the Giants were 8-7-1 ATS and they had an O/U record of 11-5 and the Cowboys were 4-11-1 ATS with an O/U record of 6-10.
Last season the Cowboys were only 1-7 at home and the Giants were 3-5 on the road.
Manning has one of the best WR’s in the game in Beckham Jr. and both of these guys had big seasons last year. The run game struggled for the Giants last season, which is why Manning had to air it out so often. After Beckham Jr. the Giants do not have a solid WR corps and they are really hoping Victor Cruz can regain past form after missing last season with a major knee injury.
Dallas played solid pass defense last season, but only ranked 22nd in the league defending the run. Rashad Jennings has to help Manning out to keep the Cowboys’ defense honest not letting them stack the secondary to thwart the pass.
The Cowboys have to pressure Manning and not give him time in the pocket. They have some new guys up front to aid in a pass rush that only had 31 sacks last season.
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Betting Trends
- The Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 1, and they have an Over record of 4-0 in their last 4 games.
- The Cowboys are 10-25-1 ATS in their last 36 home games, 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall, and they have an Under record of 4-1 in their last 5 games.
- The Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against the Cowboys in Dallas.
- In the last 7 games between these teams the total has gone Over every time.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys Free Pick
Yes, we know it was preseason. Yes, we know he’s a rookie. But the thing here is that Dak Prescott’s numbers were extraordinary. Prescott has the advantage of being behind one of the best offensive lines in football and a solid running game and this guy is accurate passing for five TDs and running for two more. The Giants spent big in free agency on defense and they may be improved, but it may take awhile. We’ll take the point and jump on the home side here.
Take the Dallas Cowboys +1
