Cowboys vs Buccaneers Prediction and Odds for Week 1 rematch
0-0. 123. 8:20 PM ET. 0-0. NBC. Sunday, Sept 11. 48. Bucs -1.5
Dallas Cowboys football is finally back! The NFL is wasting no time putting the Cowboys to the test. The reigning NFC East Champions start their season with a rematch of last year’s exciting Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Last season, the Cowboys came out strong in Week 1. Quarterback Dak Prescott returned from his severe ankle injury to throw for 403 yards and three touchdowns in his first game back. The team played well. However, they did what every team should know they can’t: gave Tom Brady 1:24 on the clock to get down the field. Dallas was up by 1, but it was too much time for the stellar QB. The Bucs won on a field goal with a score of 31-29.
At the time, it was Brady’s 49th game-winning drive in a fourth-quarter or overtime during regular season.
It also gave the “GOAT” a perfect 6-0 record against Dallas in his career. This Sunday, under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football, the Cowboys have another chance to hand Brady a defeat.
Cowboys vs Buccaneers Odds Week 1
At the time of writing, the Week 1 betting odds on FanDuel have the Cowboys as 1.5-point underdogs at home in Arlington, TX. The Cowboys are +104 on the moneyline, while the Buccaneers are favorites at -122. The total for the game is set at 49.5 points.
This will be a massive test for the Cowboys against a fordmiddable opponent. I’m a bit surprised that the Bucs are only 1.5-point favorites. Another interesting part of the odds is the over/under. We all know Brady can make his teammates score, but the best part of this Cowboys team right now is their defense. This team should be able to cause turnovers and get stops.
Plus, if Dallas is struggling anywhere, it’s the offense. Scoring more than 49 points between the two sides could be tough. While we hope the Cowboys’ offense turns things around, you never know.
Cowboys vs Buccaneers Prediction Week 1
This will truly come down to the Cowboys offense. Dallas enters this game without James Washington and Michael Gallup, as well as missing the offseason losses of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson.
Jerry Jones continues to say that this offense depends on highly-paid running back Ezekiel Elliott, despite the fact that this is a pass-heavy league and Elliott just isn’t what he used to be. To make things even worse for a declining Elliott, this offensive line is one giant question mark. With Tyron Smith out, rookie Tyler Smith expected to make a massive impact in his first NFL game, and several other newcomers to their positions, the running game may not even have a chance to succeed.
If the offense can make it happen, in combination with the stellar defense, I believe this win is possible. It’s a rematch. It’s Sunday Night Football. And, it’s a home game.
However, it’s hard to trust that the offensive line to be solved by Week 1. The reality is that Tampa Bay did much more to improve this roster than Dallas did this offseason. It’s also hard to trust any game against Tom Brady. Because of this, we think the Cowboys will suffer their first loss 24-17 in a hard-fought battle. We will find out, Sunday night!
