Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants Odds, Picks, and Prediction
Cowboys vs. Giants Odds
| Cowboys Odds | +1.5 |
| Giants Odds | -1.5 |
| Over/Under | 38.5 |
| Date | Monday, Sept. 26 |
| Time | 8:15 p.m. |
| TV | ESPN |
Week 3 of Monday Night Football will feature an NFC East division showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. After losing starting quarterback Dak Prescott to an injury in Week 1, Dallas surprised the league with a last-second victory over the heavily favored Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. This evening, oddsmakers once again have the Cowboys priced as underdogs, with the currently undefeated New York Giants being listed as 1.5 point home favorites on the spread.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where NFL bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Dallas Cowboys
In their season opener, the Cowboys struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball, generating only three points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a losing effort. In Week 2, Dallas once again struggled offensively, having lost the time of possession battle by a wide margin while generating only 20 points. The offensive line continues to be more of a concern that we have seen in years past for this group, which has contributed to the Cowboys ranking 32nd in offensive EPA/play heading into their Monday Night Football matchup against the Giants.
Defensively, Dallas has been better, but still far from great – ranking 18th in defensive EPA/play according to rbsdm. Micah Parsons has looked like one of the best players in football through two weeks, totaling four sacks. However, the rest of this unit has left much to be desired. The Cowboys rank 23rd in opponent completion percentage and 14th in rush yards allowed per carry after having faced Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. This unit could struggle again on Monday.
New York Giants
Though New York is one of only three remaining undefeated teams left in the league, it is not because of elite quarterback play. Daniel Jones ranks 30th out of 33 qualified signal callers in EPA/play through two games. He has not thrown for more than 188 passing yards in either of New York’s first two games of the season, and has taken eight sacks in those contests. Outside of Andrew Thomas at left tackle, there is arguably no offensive line in the NFL with less reliable talent than the Giants. Slowing down Micah Parsons could be a tremendous struggle in this spot.
On the defensive side of the ball, it is likely that New York has overperformed thus far. In Week 1, they had the benefit of facing a Ryan Tannehill-led offense that featured inexplicably poor play calling in the second half. In Week 2, the Giants benefitted from a favorable matchup against Baker Mayfield and the offensively-challenged Carolina Panthers. Even after facing two weak opponents to begin the season, New York ranks only 16th in defensive EPA/play. Even though Cooper Rush is an unproven backup, the Giants defense could still show some vulnerabilities on primetime.
Cowboys vs. Giants Pick & Prediction
A national television battle between Cooper Rush and Daniel Jones does not exactly scream “shootout,” but there should be opportunities for both of these teams to put points on the board on Monday Night Football. Dallas has shown a willingness to involve Tony Pollard in the game plan as both a running back and a pass-catcher, evident by his 98 yards of total offense in Week 2. Facing a weak New York defense, Pollard could be an x-factor in helping Dallas move the chains on a consistent basis, if given enough opportunity. After slowing-down Cincinnati’s allegedly high-powered offense in Week 2, Dallas’ defense is likely overrated heading into this contest. It might not be easy, but this total is too low for a matchup between two familiar division opponents – neither of which have much plus-talent on the defensive side of the ball.
- PICK: Over 37 (-138, DraftKings)