Chargers at Cowboys Odds

Written by Kyle Hunter

The San Diego Chargers are playing some of the best football of anyone in the NFL right now. The Dallas Cowboys sit at 8-4, but their December swoons of the past have some wondering if last weekend’s loss at New York was just the beginning of another downturn. The stakes will be very high for this late afternoon game in Dallas on Sunday. Both teams should make the playoffs, but which one will get home field advantage and have a better route to the Super Bowl?

The San Diego Chargers offense has been on fire of late. In the last three games they are averaging 35 points per game. In fact, the offense has scored at least 21 points in every game this season. Phillip Rivers is having his best year as a pro and the statistics he is putting up of late are just amazing. He has thrown for over 300 yards in three straight games and hasn’t thrown an interception in the last 5 games. The Chargers are third in the league in points scored per game at 28.5. For most of the season LaDanian Tomlinson hasn’t looked himself, but in the last 4 games he has started to look better. If the Chargers can get the run game going consistently they could definitely have the best offense in the AFC. Antonio Gates is an absolute force at tight end. Gates has 67 receptions for 994 yards and Vincent Jackson has 7 touchdown receptions in a breakout year for him. Darren Sproles is still one of the best special teams players in the NFL. The Chargers defense is allowing 20.2 points per game and 322 yards per game, near the middle of the pack in both stats.

The Dallas Cowboys have righted the ship to a certain degree after a slow start, but there is still plenty of pressure on people like Tony Romo and Wade Phillips. The Dallas offense is third in total yards per game, but just 11th in points scored per game. Turnovers in the red zone and settling for field goals has hurt the team this season. Tony Romo is having a solid season, throwing 20 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions, while racking up 3,325 yards already. Marion Barber and Felix Jones have both done well in the backfield, especially in recent weeks, and the Cowboys offense has looked much better because of the balance the running game has provided. Miles Austin has been the brighest spot at wide receiver, with 9 touchdowns already this season. Jason Witten is still the man Romo looks to for the tough first down yardage, and Witten has 73 receptions already this year. The Cowboys defense has been very good at keeping opponents out of the end zone, using a bend but don’t break approach most of the year. They are allowing just 17.8 points per game on the season.

The NFL odds for this weekend show the Cowboys are favored by 3 in this huge match up. The posted total is set at 48.5 points. When making football predictions on this game remember that Dallas is just 3-13-2 against the spread in their last 18 December games. The Cowboys are 4-1 in their last 5 games at home this season.

I think this should be a very entertaining game. Rivers and the Chargers offense should be able to put up points, but San Diego may have trouble stopping the Cowboys running game. Expect a close one throughout, and the team who takes care of the football will probably win this one.

Comments

Got something to say?