Cowboys 2012-2013 NFL Futures Lines & Predictions
The expectations are always sky high in Big D and you can bet that owner Jerry Jones is still smarting from how the New York Giants worked their way into the playoffs and then captured another Super Bowl (stings).
Dallas Cowboys
2011 Record: 8-8
2011 ATS Record: 5-10-1
2012 Futures:
Super Bowl: +2500
Conference: +1400
Division: +240
Win Total: 8.5
This team invested seriously in its defense in the offseason using the draft and free agency to shore up the secondary. Still it might not be enough as the current group of Cowboys seems to be to not add up to the sum of their part.
This team has talent, maybe this year they break through.
On offense everything starts with QB Tony Romo.
Depending on who you ask you get very different opinions on just how good Romo is. His numbers may put him among the statistical elite but when was the last time you remember him really coming up big in a big moment – I can’t.
The ground game is in decent shape with second year back DeMarco Murray carrying the torch that never got picked up by the explosive, yet brittle, Felix Jones. When Romo drops back he certainly has options but tight end Jason Witten is already dinged up and receiver Dez Bryant is a time bomb waiting to explode.
Last year’s leading TD grabber – Laurent Robinson – is now playing for the Jaguars and no one knows when Miles Austin is going to show up again. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
On defense is where Dallas really tried to get better this offseason.
They have one of the best defensive players in the game in rush linebacker DeMarcus Ware but even with all the havoc he was creating up front they weren’t having too much success because the secondary was just so poor.
Insert top pick cornerback Morris Claiborne (LSU) and free agent corner Brandon Carr and now you have the semblance of a decent secondary, especially with Claiborne’s big play ability (he is a menace returning kicks too). If the defense could win a game or two this team could really go places and maybe even capture the division.
As you can see by the record above the Cowboys were awful against the number last season.
As one of the more public teams they are always getting more support than they probably deserve but I guess there is a reason they are called America’s team. Amazingly for a team that finished just 8-8 they were favoured in 11 of their 16 games.
The division they are in is tough and they always seem to struggle against the Giants and Eagles. How is this for a stat. Dallas was 0-6 ATS within the NFC East last season. The only team they beat straight up was Washington.
Prediction: 8-8
Conference: 9th
Division: 3rd
Win Total: Under
