NFL Playoff Gambling – Will the Eagles Fly versus the Cowboys?
In a rematch of last week’s Week 17 finale, the Eagles and Cowboys continued their storied rivalry in the first round of the playoffs. Before last week’s loss to Dallas, the Eagles were the NFC team-to-beat, and with good reason. They had won six straight, were getting healthier each week and looked better than they had all season.
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Time: Saturday, January 9th – Cowboys Stadium, Arlington – 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Texas Stadium
Eagles vs. Cowboys Football Lines
MoneyLine: Eagles +165 / Cowboys -200
Spread: Cowboys -4
Over/Under: 45
Then they blew it, being embarrassed by the Cowboys 24-0. Suddenly Dallas became the “it” team of the conference, again with good reason. Dallas has by far more momentum going into these playoffs than they have in years past. Instead of limping into the postseason, the Cowboys are surging with three straight wins, including two shutouts. If Dallas doesn’t win this one, head coach Wade Phillips may be fired.
What The Eagles Have To Do To Win
The Eagles cannot dwell on last week’s loss. It’s never easy to forget a beating like that, especially when it costs you the division title. But Philadelphia has no choice. As well, they cannot look at that game and feel they need to change their game plan to win. The Eagles won six straight games this season for a reason: the ability to make big plays. Philadelphia has the best collection of playmakers in the NFL, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremey Maclin, Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy all able to contribute big. Donovan McNabb has to be able to bounce back from his horrid outing last week and get the ball in the hands of his playmakers.
What The Cowboys Have To Do To Win
Even with two straight shutouts, the Cowboys are going to have to win with offense. To do that they’ll have to run the ball efficiently and limit turnovers. Recently they’ve been able to succeed at that, which is why Dallas has won three straight (the stingy defense hasn’t hurt). The rushing game is back to where the Cowboys expect it to be, with Marion Barber and Felix Jones sharing duties. In the three-game win streak, the Cowboys have outrushed their opponents 432-175. In the passing game, Tony Romo has to continue to prove his critics wrong by limiting his interceptions. A lot of the Cowboys recent success can be attributed to Romo’s lack of INT’s; he’s thrown only two in the past five weeks. A continued strong rushing game and smart plays by Romo will lead to Dallas’ first playoff win since 1996.
Outlook & Pick
Despite the fact that Dallas beat the crap out of Philadelphia last week, the Eagles may still have the upper hand. Mentally, the Eagles are in a much better position than the Cowboys. Last season the Eagles made the NFC Championship game; they know they can make it far in the playoffs. Romo has never won a playoff game in his career, and neither have most players on his team. Yes, Romo’s December record has improved, but football played in January is much different than football played in December. The Eagles are too good of a team to be pushed around two weeks in a row, especially by the same team. They’ll be able to make their adjustments and prove the Cowboys’ haters right.
NFL Point Spread Pick: Philadelphia +4 & over 45
Prop Betting: Team To Score First And Score In First Six Minutes
The Eagles are going to want to score early just to prove to Dallas that they’re not invincible and can be scored on. Dallas has no such urgency. They’ll be able to run the football and play the game at the pace they want to early in the game.
Prop Betting Pick: The Eagles Will Score First, No Score In First Six Minutes
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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.
