NFL
Ricky Rothstein
October 2, 2017

Packers at Cowboys Point Spread: NFL Week 5 Odds, Prediction

On every list of Top 10 most anticipated regular-season games of 2017 when the schedule was released in April was this Sunday’s playoff rematch between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys. It would shock few if the two faced off again this January. The Cowboys are opening 2.5-point favourites at Sports Interaction.

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys

When: Sunday, 4:25 PM ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Point Spread: Cowboys -2.5

Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Green Bay (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) is tied for the NFC North lead with the Detroit – the Packers were preseason betting favourites to win that division again and still are. It’s the second time the Pack are underdogs thus far in 2017 as they were +3 in Week 2 in Atlanta and lost 34-23. All three straight-up wins are at home. Dallas (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) was a preseason favourite to repeat in the NFC East but finds itself a game behind Philadelphia. The Cowboys have been favoured in all four games.

The Packers are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings in this series. The teams played twice last year. In Week 6 at Lambeau Field, the Cowboys were 5-point underdogs and won 30-16. Dak Prescott threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and the Dallas defense forced four turnovers. Aaron Rodgers threw for 294 yards, a TD and a pick. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Rodgers had one of the most remarkable throws of a remarkable career, a 35-yarder to Jared Cook on third-and-20 with 12 seconds left in the game. That set up Mason Crosby’s 51-yard-field goal as time expired to give Green Bay a 34-31 victory as a 5.5-point underdog.

Green Bay Packers

The Pack have a small advantage here in that they played last Thursday, but they will need the extra time because they are so banged up. Green Bay routed the visiting Bears 35-14 behind four Rodgers touchdown passes, two to Jordy Nelson. The Packers lost their top two running backs to injury in the game, Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams. This means third-string rookie Aaron Jones may start here. He rushed for 49 yards and a score vs. Chicago.

Receiver Davante Adams was hospitalized after a vicious hit to the helmet by Chicago linebacker Danny Trevathan. Adams avoided major injury, but it might be unrealistic for him to play vs. Dallas. Rodgers played without both starting offensive tackles David Bakhtiari (hamstring) and right tackle Bryan Bulaga (ankle) against the Bears and their status is TBA. A few defensive starters also sat out due to injury.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are one loss from matching their total last regular season following a 35-30 home upset defeat to the hugely improved Rams on Sunday. Dallas was just fine offensively with 440 yards but turned it over twice. The Rams put up 412 yards and didn’t give it away. Cowboys All-Pro linebacker Sean Lee missed the game with a hamstring injury, and it showed as the Rams scored on five straight possessions in the second half Sunday.

It should be noted that the Cowboys were on a short week after playing Monday night in Week 4 — they might have run out of gas — and that the Rams were on extra rest as they played Thursday in Week 4.