The Cowboys And The Bears Both Have A Lot At Stake On Thursday Night
While the Cowboys are in a better spot due to their position atop the NFC East, both teams desperately need a win
Cowboys (6-6) at Bears (6-6)
DAL -3, O/U 43, Thursday December 5th, 8:20pm EST
- The Dallas Cowboys (6-6) and Chicago Bears (6-6) will square off in the Week 14 edition of Thursday Night Football.
- The Cowboys are 3-6 in their last nine games, have lost three of their last four and are clinging to an NFC East lead. They’ve gone 7-5 ATS and the over has gone 7-5 in their games this season. The Buffalo Bills beat them 26-15 in Dallas on Thanksgiving.
- The Bears are 3-5 in their last eight games but have won their last two contests and are coming off of a gritty 24-20 win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. They’ve gone just 3-9 ATS and the over has gone just 4-8 in their games this season.
- Due to the fact that the Cowboys are leading their division, they’re currently slotted in the fourth seed in the NFC playoff picture while the Bears are on the outside looking in (since they’re well behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North and both NFC Wild Card teams). While a loss wouldn’t be catastrophic for the Cowboys, it would essentially eliminate Chicago’s playoff hopes.
- The Cowboys are favored by a field goal on the road and the over/under is listed at 43. BetQL’s NFL Model lists a best bet ATS, on the moneyline and on the total in this contest. Find out what they are!
Cowboys
Ah, it’s that time of the year. The holidays are approaching, Jason Garrett is on the hot seat and Cowboys fans are wondering why their team is no longer thought of as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. After getting off to a hot start and being labeled the most dangerous offense in football early on, benefitting from the genius designs of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Dallas has essentially fallen off the map, losing six of their last nine games overall and only clinging onto the NFC East lead because all of the other teams in the division are underperforming (and under .500).
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That star-studded offense led by Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper and an elite offensive line, produced just 15 points at home against the Bills last week and nine the week before against the New England Patriots. However, Prescott went 32-of-49 for 355 yards, two touchdowns and an interception last week while Elliott ran for 71 yards on 12 carries and hauled in seven catches for 66 more yards. Cooper caught eight passes for 85 yards, but failed to find the end zone. The week before, Cooper was shut out for no catches against the Patriots while Prescott couldn’t get anything going and Zeke rushed for 86 yards on 21 carries. While those three players, especially Elliott, are considered elite pros, the concentrated nature of Dallas’ offense might have caught up to them, as opposing defenses can spend most of their attention on Cooper on the outside and trying to limit Elliott. The running back hasn’t scored a touchdown in four of his last five games and will have his hands full against a Bears defense that ranks 7th against the run (allowing 97.5 rushing yards per contest). Defensively, the Cowboys have been a decent unit, but just allowed Josh Allen to complete 19-of-24 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown in an uncharacteristically-efficient outing. That’s certainly not a great sign.
Bears
Luckily for the Cowboys defense, they get to face a Bears team that has produced an average of 16.7 points per game over their last six contests. Although Mitch Trubisky threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns out of nowhere in Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions, he’s been an utter disappointment all season long, as has the entire Bears offense. They rank 27th in points per game (17.7) and have essentially spoiled the hard work that their defense has put forth, surrendering just 17.3 points per game (which ranks 4th). One has to wonder what Chicago’s record would be with a more consistent quarterback under center.
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Not only has Chicago gone 3-5 over their last eight games SU, but they’ve gone a ridiculous 1-7 ATS in that span. Trubisky could have an especially-difficult time passing the ball in this contest, since the Cowboys rank 8th (one spot ahead of the Bears) in passing yards allowed per game (215.2). Rookie running back David Montgomery will look to attack Dallas’ league-average run defense that’s surrendered 106.4 yards per contest. While Allen Robinson II has been (by far) the bright spot in Chicago’s offense from an individual production perspective, he, along with Anthony Miller (who broke out last week) will have to have a strong outing in this contest if the Bears expect to consistently find themselves on Dallas’ side of the field.
Prediction
The Cowboys are favored by three points on the road and the over/under is listed at 43. BetQL’s NFL Model lists a best bet ATS, on the moneyline and on the total in this contest. Find out what they are!
