49ers
vs.
Cowboys
NFL Pick
with Analysis
9/7/14
The Cowboys will host the 49ers in one of this weeks marqee NFL matchups to kick off the 2014 season. The 49ers are -4.5 point road favorites at 5 dimes Sportsbook as well as GTBets with a posted total of 51. When betonline, the first to post their lines each week, posted this line back in April, it was San Fran -2.5.
It’s very difficult to build a case for the Cowboys in this spot. since their last winning season in 2009, they have gone 6-10, followed by 3 consecutive 8-8 seasons. Any way you slice it, this has been a mediocre football team at best. Probably less than mediocre. Last season they had arguably the worst defense in the NFL. I say arguably because there are plenty of different measuring sticks you could use. But in terms of yards given up, they were DEAD last allowing 415 yards per Game.
The Cowboys go up against a 49ers team that has been just the opposite. They have been one of the NFL’s elite for the past three years which includeda 34-31 loss to the Ravens in Super Bowl 47. Furthermore, the 49ers don’t look to be slowing down any and for that matter, the Cowboys haven’t made any moves that would suggest they are on the rise.
I suppose if you wanted to make a case for the Cowboys, you could use the 49ers recent off the field problems, the suspension of linebacker Aldon Smith or the questionable status of Ray Mcdonald and point towards a defensive unit that could be a tad shorthanded. After all, the Cowboys offense with Tony Romo leading the way isn’t where the problem lies for Dallas. They should be able to move the ball.
Perhaps you could also tie in their home field advantage and all of the emotion that goes along with the very first Game of the season being played in your own building before a wild sell out crowd and a TV audieNCe that will iNClude most of the Nation. But if you’re handicapping this Game on talent alone, player for player, position by position, the decision has to go to San Fran. They are simply the better team here.
We prefer to sit back and watch. This IS the NFL where anything can happen from year to year. We’re statistical handicappers here at Bettorsworld. We’d prefer not to guess, which is what you’re doing the first couple of weeks of an NFL season, in most cases.
So, as a lean only, we’ll go with the better team. 49ers -4.5