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Edgar Chaput
Commanders vs. Cowboys Point Spread: NFL Week 12 Odds, Prediction
The Dallas Cowboys are rolling through a juicy portion of their schedule now. After battering the Carolina Panthers 33-10, they get to return home to a festive crowd on Thanksgiving to play the flailing Washington Commanders. The latter was at home to another struggling NFC East club on Sunday, the Giants, but lost 31-19.
The Cowboys are huge -11 favourites as per the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
For as lopsided as things appear between these sides, especially in recent years with all the happenings in Washington, the truth is they’ve split the last six games. The Commanders even won the last one in January 26-6. Of note, only one of those six contests was decided by a single score. Moreover, the same applies to the last eight games (Dallas is 5-3 during that span).
We can provide the usual statistical information, such as that Washington is 4-7 on the season and strolling, and that its efforts against the spread have only produced a 5-5-1 record. The added texture for this match is their Thanksgiving record. It shouldn’t count for a lot, but betters and stats gurus live for this stuff. The Commanders, be it under their current moniker or previous, are only 4-8 on the great American holiday.
Dallas of course has a much richer history on Thanksgiving given that they’ve played on the holiday since 1966. The generations of Cowboys have played their way to a 32-22-1 overall record. It’s been rougher in recent years, as last season’s win over the Giants halted a three-game losing streak on the holiday. Dallas is 7-3 ATS this season.
Washington Commanders
You know things are going south when a team loses at home to the New York Giants, playing with its backup QB under centre no less. That’s exactly what transpired on Sunday in Landover.
The 31-19 defeat to divisional foes, who had looked even worse than them in recent weeks, adds fire to head coach Ron Rivera’s already very hot seat. There is a discrepancy in where the team’s strengths and weaknesses lay on this day. Washington’s defensive line earned itself a whopping nine sacks. The Commanders outgained New York 403 to 292 and tallied more first downs (28 to 13). But QB Sam Howell, who has looked decent at times, tossed three drive-killing picks, including one late in the game that was returned to the house.
Kudos for getting most of the receivers involved (Logan Thomas, Brian Robinson Jr, and Terry McLaurin all had multiple catches) but the inconsistent quarterbacking sunk the team.
Dallas Cowboys
Another day, another weak opponent, another relatively easy win for the Dallas Cowboys. We don’t mean to keep typing back handed compliments. They possess a talented roster and are ripe with potential for a deep playoff run, but the fact is this is an extraordinarily fortuitous stretch of the calendar.
The Carolina Panthers offered little to no resistance against a more powerful Cowboys squad, who won 33-10. Big numbers from Dak Prescott were not a requirement, and despite only throwing for 189 yards it was more than enough. TE Luke Schoonmaker and CeeDee Lamb caught TD passes. Lamb, by the way, is listed as questionable for Thursday. In a game that offered little excitement, the story was DaRon Bland returning an INT to the end zone for the fourth time this season. By all accounts the Cowboys are coping just fine without Trevon Diggs.
Carolina’s defence was extremely gracious, committing penalty after penalty after penalty to keep Dallas drives alive. This was never much of a game.
WAS
DAL