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Week 17 Preview: Cowboys at Giants
DALLAS COWBOYS (8-7)
at NEW YORK GIANTS (8-7)
Kickoff: Sunday, 7:20 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -3, Total: 46.5
The NFC East crown is on the line in this season finale between the Cowboys and Giants.
These teams played a wild one in Week 14, with the Giants scoring two touchdowns in the final 3:14 to win 37-34. Cowboys QB Tony Romo (bruised hand) is expected to play after missing most of Week 16, and he and QB Eli Manning may have to perform in the elements, something neither of them have done well. The Giants just beat a Jets team with a defense (led by head coach Rex Ryan) similar to the Cowboys’ (led by Rex’s brother Rob, their defensive coordinator). However, New York is just 3-4 SU (2-4-1 ATS) at home this year, and Tom Coughlin is 0-7 ATS in home games when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%) as the Giants coach. The pick here is DALLAS to win on the road.
This three-star FoxSheets coaching trend shows another reason to bet against Coughlin:
Tom Coughlin is 4-16 ATS (20.0%, -13.6 Units) in home games after allowing 14 points or less last game as the coach of N.Y. GIANTS. The average score was N.Y. GIANTS 21.1, OPPONENT 26.2 - (Rating = 3*).
Dallas is just 2-5 SU and ATS against the Giants over the past four seasons, but these teams have played five straight close and high-scoring games. In these five meetings (four New York victories), the Giants have 162 points (32.4 PPG) and the Cowboys have tallied 157 points (31.4 PPG).
Romo suffered a contusion on his throwing hand early in last Saturday’s 20-7 loss to the Eagles. Romo has usually played well against New York, completing 64% of his passes for 8.36 YPA, 21 TD and 10 INT in 11 career games against the G-Men. Three weeks ago, he compiled 321 passing yards and 4 TD against them. RB Felix Jones also had a big day against the Giants after replacing injured DeMarco Murray. Jones finished with 137 total yards, gaining 6.6 yards per carry. He was limited last week because of a hamstring injury, but he is expected to start on Sunday. The Giants defense has been pretty generous in allowing yardage this year, placing 27th in pass defense (255 YPG) and 22nd in rushing defense (126 YPG). New York has forced five turnovers in the past two weeks, but Dallas has done a great job of protecting the football with four turnover-free games in its past seven contests (four total TO).
Eli Manning has usually performed a high level when facing Dallas throughout his career, with 250 passing YPG, 28 TD and 18 INT in 14 career meetings. Manning threw for 400 yards and 2 TD when these teams met earlier this year. He may not have the services of WR Mario Manningham (knee), but Victor Cruz has exceeded expectations as the team’s No. 3 receiver. For the season, Cruz has 1,358 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, including a 99-yard TD catch last week. On paper, the Giants ground game (last in NFL, 88 YPG) has little chance of succeeding against Dallas’ 7th-ranked run-stop unit (99 YPG). But with Ahmad Bradshaw finally 100 percent, New York has options in the running game by mixing up the speedy Bradshaw with the bruising Brandon Jacobs. In the past three meetings with Dallas, New York has rushed for a respectable 417 yards (139 YPG).
DALLAS COWBOYS (8-7)
at NEW YORK GIANTS (8-7)
Kickoff: Sunday, 7:20 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -3, Total: 46.5
The NFC East crown is on the line in this season finale between the Cowboys and Giants.
These teams played a wild one in Week 14, with the Giants scoring two touchdowns in the final 3:14 to win 37-34. Cowboys QB Tony Romo (bruised hand) is expected to play after missing most of Week 16, and he and QB Eli Manning may have to perform in the elements, something neither of them have done well. The Giants just beat a Jets team with a defense (led by head coach Rex Ryan) similar to the Cowboys’ (led by Rex’s brother Rob, their defensive coordinator). However, New York is just 3-4 SU (2-4-1 ATS) at home this year, and Tom Coughlin is 0-7 ATS in home games when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%) as the Giants coach. The pick here is DALLAS to win on the road.
This three-star FoxSheets coaching trend shows another reason to bet against Coughlin:
Tom Coughlin is 4-16 ATS (20.0%, -13.6 Units) in home games after allowing 14 points or less last game as the coach of N.Y. GIANTS. The average score was N.Y. GIANTS 21.1, OPPONENT 26.2 - (Rating = 3*).
Dallas is just 2-5 SU and ATS against the Giants over the past four seasons, but these teams have played five straight close and high-scoring games. In these five meetings (four New York victories), the Giants have 162 points (32.4 PPG) and the Cowboys have tallied 157 points (31.4 PPG).
Romo suffered a contusion on his throwing hand early in last Saturday’s 20-7 loss to the Eagles. Romo has usually played well against New York, completing 64% of his passes for 8.36 YPA, 21 TD and 10 INT in 11 career games against the G-Men. Three weeks ago, he compiled 321 passing yards and 4 TD against them. RB Felix Jones also had a big day against the Giants after replacing injured DeMarco Murray. Jones finished with 137 total yards, gaining 6.6 yards per carry. He was limited last week because of a hamstring injury, but he is expected to start on Sunday. The Giants defense has been pretty generous in allowing yardage this year, placing 27th in pass defense (255 YPG) and 22nd in rushing defense (126 YPG). New York has forced five turnovers in the past two weeks, but Dallas has done a great job of protecting the football with four turnover-free games in its past seven contests (four total TO).
Eli Manning has usually performed a high level when facing Dallas throughout his career, with 250 passing YPG, 28 TD and 18 INT in 14 career meetings. Manning threw for 400 yards and 2 TD when these teams met earlier this year. He may not have the services of WR Mario Manningham (knee), but Victor Cruz has exceeded expectations as the team’s No. 3 receiver. For the season, Cruz has 1,358 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, including a 99-yard TD catch last week. On paper, the Giants ground game (last in NFL, 88 YPG) has little chance of succeeding against Dallas’ 7th-ranked run-stop unit (99 YPG). But with Ahmad Bradshaw finally 100 percent, New York has options in the running game by mixing up the speedy Bradshaw with the bruising Brandon Jacobs. In the past three meetings with Dallas, New York has rushed for a respectable 417 yards (139 YPG).
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