Sunday Night Football Picks: Cowboys vs. Vikings Odds & Predictions
Cowboys vs. Vikings Odds
| Cowboys Odds | +3 |
| Vikings Odds | -3 |
| Over/Under | 51.5 |
| Date | Sunday, Oct 31 |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBC |
The Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings will battle on Sunday Night Football at U.S. Bank Stadium. Dallas enters this primetime matchup on a six game winning streak, but could be without star quarterback Dak Prescott in this one. Minnesota has won three of their last four contests as they try to climb back into the NFC playoff race. Oddsmakers are expecting a tightly contested affair in this one, pricing the Vikings as a field goal favorite on the spread.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Dallas Cowboys (+3)
The Cowboys lost on opening night of the NFL season to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, they have defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and New England Patriots—winning two of those games by 20-plus points.
The winning streak for the Cowboys could come to an end this evening if Prescott is unable to suit up. Reports indicate that Prescott will go through his pre-game warmup before Dallas makes a final decision on his status, but the significant line movement in Minnesota’s favor, coupled with the fact that backup Cooper Rush took all of the first-team reps at practice this week, make it probable that Prescott will be on the sidelines tonight. If Prescott is unable to go, Rush will be under center in a live game for the first time since 2017. He has two career passing yards on only three attempts. Bettors who wager on the Cowboys still have the benefit of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and one of the most dynamic running back tandems with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. Still, it is likely to be a challenge to win this game without Prescott in the huddle.
Defensively, Dallas has struggled to defend the run this year. This unit is allowing 4.3 yards-per-carry and has allowed four rushes for 20-plus yards. It could be a struggle to contain Dalvin Cook tonight. The Cowboys have been much better at defending the air, forcing opposing quarterbacks into a dreadful 12 to 11 touchdown to interception ratio and a poor 88.1 passer rating. Yet, Kirk Cousins has been one of the most impressive quarterbacks in the NFL this fall, meaning that Dallas is not going to have anything easy today on the defensive side of the ball.
Minnesota Vikings (-3)
The Vikings enter play on Sunday sitting at .500, but they are arguably much better than their record indicates. Minnesota lost in overtime on a game winning field goal in Week 1. The Vikings missed a chip shot field goal as time expired in Week 2, losing by only one point to the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 4, Minnesota had a chance to tie the Cleveland Browns on the final drive, but came up short in a 14-7 loss.
Per Pro Football Focus, Cousins has graded as the third-best quarterback in the league through six games. Cousins has a stellar 13-to-2 touchdown to interception ratio in 2021 and has thrown for 323 yards or more in half of Minnesota’s games. Dalvin Cook has been banged up, which has forced him to miss multiple games. Yet, he finally looked healthy in Week 6, running for 140 yards against the Carolina Panthers. Coming off of a bye week, Cook should be in the best physical shape that he has been in all season. Expect him to have a big game against a weak Dallas run defense.
Similar to Dallas, Minnesota has been strong against the pass, but has been vulnerable on the ground. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown only seven touchdowns for an 87.5 passer rating against the Vikings this season. However, only the Cardinals and the Los Angeles Chargers are allowing more yards-per-carry this season. Whether Prescott or Rush takes the snaps for Dallas in this one, expect a heavy dose of Elliott and Pollard behind a strong offensive line.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PICK
Both Dallas and Minnesota have strong pass defenses. Even if Prescott plays tonight, bettors should expect a run-heavy script from both of these offenses. Elliott, Pollard, and Cook should see plenty of touches in this one against two of the worst run defenses in the NFL. The total has not moved much with the ambiguity of Prescott’s status. Bettors could be getting the best value of any play on the board in Week 8 if they grab this total at the current market price, and Rush ends up starting this game.
PICKS: Under 52 (-110)
Image Credit: Imagn