Sunday Night NFL Betting – Cowboys Begin Pursuit Of Home-Field Super Bowl Berth
The Dallas Cowboys’ time is now. A very urgent and consequential season in Dallas begins against America’s Team’s foremost rival in the nation’s capital.
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins
Odds: Cowboys -3, Redskins +3
Total: 40.5
It’s very rare that an NFL club has such a good chance to host the Super Bowl. The ultimate championship event in American professional sports is usually hosted by Miami or New Orleans, and sometimes Arizona or Southern California. The Miami Dolphins haven’t been a Super Bowl contender for over a decade. The New Orleans Saints have only recently contended for a Supe. The San Diego Chargers usually flame out in the playoffs. This year, though, there’s a very strong chance that the Dallas Cowboys – whose stadium will host Super Bowl XLV – can gain the best home-field advantage one could possibly imagine. A loaded Cowboy club, after its own set of San Diego-like playoff busts, will try to get things right in 2010. The journey begins against the team Dallas loves to hate, the Washington Redskins.
How Can Dallas Win?
For Dallas to be a great team, Tony Romo has to become a great quarterback. Romo is a very good field general, but his consistency does not exist on the highest plane. Not yet. Romo is still prone to baffling swings in quality, and throughout the preseason – which got a lot of people worried in Big D – Romo simply could not execute in the red zone, especially against the Houston Texans in what was considered the main dress rehearsal for this season opener against Washington. The Redskins’ defense, like so many other defenses around the NFL, is going to be focused on stopping tight end Jason Witten, the Cowboys’ ultimate third-and-five chain-moving security blanket. If Romo can find another reliable third-down receiver on Sunday, Dallas will have a good chance to score touchdowns and not field goals, and that’s what will ensure a Cowboy victory.
How Can Washington Win?
Because of the arrival of new quarterback Donovan McNabb, the Redskins have reason to hope for better things in 2010. However, one player’s arrival doesn’t constitute the rebirth of a franchise. The Redskins have a lot of issues up front on both sides of the ball. The Albert Haynesworth soap opera simply can’t be helping the mood around the team’s training facility. On the offensive line, it’s going to be very tough for Washington to withstand DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys’ prime pass rushers. New head coach Mike Shanahan needs to come up with schemes that will mask his offensive line’s frailties all season long. Shanahan needs to go to max-protect looks that include running backs and fullbacks staying in to chip on blitzing linebackers. McNabb is in his mid-30s and must be protected at all costs. If McNabb – who is already in less than ideal health but will probably play on Sunday – can get good pass blocking, Washington has a shot.
Outlook
The Cowboys’ front four will eat up Washington’s offensive line. As long as Romo doesn’t implode and commit more than two turnovers, Dallas should prevail on the road.
Pick: Cowboys -3
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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.
