New York Giants
vs.
Dallas Cowboys
NFL Pick
9/10/17
By Jason Green
The Giants open their season in the Big D facing the Dallas Cowboys, who won the NFC East last season. However, the Giants made the playoffs last season and beat America’s Team twice and many are picking them to win the division this season. One of the big questions facing the G-Men in this Game is will star WR Odell Beckham Jr. play, as he has an ankle injury and is a question mark.
The Cowboys turned things around last season behind the solid play of rookies QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliot. Prescott has to avoid the sophomore slump and Elliot will play in this Game, but is suspended for the next six, which will really hurt Dallas taking away last season’s league leading rusher. The Cowboys have also dealt with many other off-the-field issues and repeating as the NFC East champion will be an uphill battle.
In the preseason the Cowboys were 3-1 and the Giants were 2-2.
Eli Manning is back under center and last season he threw his most picks since 2013. He has a new weapon in Brandon Marshall, who is also injured, but should play in this Game. The loss of Beckham Jr. will be a big one if he cannot go and the running Game is a big time question mark. 2nd yearback Paul Perkins takes over as the #1 RB for New York and he and Shane Vereen have to help Manning out, but that will not be easy facing a suspect offensive line.
Last season in the Giants two wins over the Cowboys they only won by a total of Four points.
Prescott put up legit numbers as a rookie last season (3.600 yards 23 TD 4 INT) and he has weapons on the outside led by the likes of Dez Bryant and TE Jason Witten. He will have Elliot in this Game, which is key since it is a division match up and they could use their lead back.
The Cowboys ranked in the middle of the pack on defense last season and they did not do much to upgrade that unit in the off-season. On the other side of the coin New York ranked 10th in the league on D and they have a solid pass rush that will be key in this Game.
The Giants are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Games on fieldturf and they have an Under record of 7-2 in their last 9 Games.
The Cowboys are -6 ATS in their last 7 Games overall, 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC East, and in their last 8 Games in September they have an Over record of 6-2.
The Giants are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Games against the Cowboys and they are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Games facing them in the Big D.
Jason’s Pick: Many people are picking the Giants to win this Game, but I am not one of them. Yeah, they beat the Cowboys twice last season and have covered in their last five Games facing them, but that trend will not continue. Elliot will have a big Game and Prescott will be solid and Dallas will win and cover and then move on to weather the storm without their young star RB for several Games.