Dallas Cowboys (-3) at San Francisco 49ers, Total 42.5 |
Dallas wants to avoid an 0-2 start at all costs, as it went down the same path last year and it turned into a 1-7 record at the midway point in 2010. The Cowboys had every opportunity to win last week, dropping a 27-24 prime-time contest to the New York Jets as 6.5-point underdogs.
It was a heartbreaking loss and a costly miscue by starting quarterback Tony Romo was a big part of it, as he fumbled three yards from the end zone, which ultimately resulted in the Jets going ahead with a field goal.
Romo finished the contest with 342 passing yards, which was impressive in his first regular-season game back from a broken left clavicle that he suffered last year. His team certainly had his back in the locker room. “That’s not the rap in this locker room,” commented Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking.
Wide receiver Miles Austin started his season with solid numbers, catching five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. He became the No. 1 option as the game wore on due to Dez Bryant getting dinged up over the course of the game.
Defensively, the secondary is a nightmare and something defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is going to have to deal with. Luckily for the team this week, they face one of the weaker passing teams in the league.
football betting players will find that the Cowboys are 18-18 ATS over the last two-plus seasons and the ‘over’ is 21-15 over that span.
San Francisco was fortunate to play Seattle in the season’s opening week, registering a 33-17 win as six-point home favorites despite being out-gained by 10 yards. The 49ers are hoping to have more success in the red zone this time around.
“We didn’t execute everything the way we wanted to, but there were a lot of bright, positive things to build on,” stated offensive coordinator Greg Roman. The team settled for four field goals and a one-yard touchdown run in five trips inside the red zone.
Frank Gore continues to be a major piece of the offense, gaining 78 yards from scrimmage in the contest. He now has 8,775 career yards from scrimmage, which moved him into third place in franchise history.
He will likely find things tough against the Cowboys, coming in averaging just 3.2 yards a rush in two career games against them, including just 26 yards in a 35-22 loss on Nov. 23, 2008.
Wide receiver and special teams player Ted Ginn provided electricity in last week’s game, returning a kickoff 102 yards and a punt for 55 yards, giving the 49ers separation at the end of the game.
First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh got his first victory, but still needs to work on the development of quarterback Alex Smith, who was 15 of 20 for just 124 yards.
49ers betting fans will find that the 49ers are 10-5 ATS at home the last two-plus seasons, while going 8-8 Over/Under over that span in betting prediction.
