Dallas, Vegas Look To Reignite Slumping Attacks

The Cowboys (7-3 SU, 8-2 ATS) have dropped two of their last three and failed to reach the end zone in last week’s loss at Kansas City. Dallas has a good chance to get the offense fired up again when it faces the Raiders (5-5, 4-6), who have covered just two of their last eight games.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

This could be the first time all season that the Raiders have been underdogs of a touchdown or more. Dallas has thrived recently when laying a touchdown-plus at home, going 9-1 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10.

Las Vegas News & Notes

After a surprising 3-0 SU start to the season, the Raiders have seen the wheels fall off with five losses in their last seven games and an ugly 2-6 ATS record in their last eight. Vegas has scored 16 points or less in each of those defeats, four of which came by double digits.

On Sunday against the Bengals, the Raiders had a golden opportunity to start the game on the right foot after recovering a fumble at the Cincinnati nine-yard line, but ended up settling for a field goal. Vegas ranks 28th in the NFL in red-zone touchdown percentage, reaching the end zone on just 19 of 37 trips inside the opposition’s 20-yard line.

Tight end Darren Waller has become the Raiders’ only consistent pass target since the team waived Henry Ruggs III a month ago. Waller accounted for more than half of Derek Carr’s passing yards against Cincinnati, when no other Raider had more than 30 yards receiving. At one point in the contest, Vegas went nearly three full quarters without a receiver recording a catch.

See Odds Shark’s Best NFL Betting Sites

Dallas News & Notes

The Cowboys have had some offensive issues of their own lately, but at least Dallas has excuses. Already without Amari Cooper and star tackle Tyron Smith, the Cowboys lost leading receiver CeeDee Lamb to a concussion in the first half of a 19-9 loss at Kansas City. Ezekiel Elliott also appears hampered by a lingering knee injury, averaging less than 50 rushing yards over his last five games.

Dallas, which was held scoreless for the first 56 minutes of a loss to Denver earlier this month, managed only three field goals in the loss to the Chiefs. Dak Prescott committed three turnovers and the Cowboys were held to 276 total yards, 160 below their season average. Dallas has now gone UNDER the total in four straight.

Cooper will miss his second straight game (COVID-19) and Lamb seems unlikely to suit up, meaning that Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown will be Prescott’s top receivers against the Raiders. Tight end Dalton Schultz was Prescott’s favorite target against the Chiefs, catching six balls for 53 yards.

How Las Vegas Will Cover

With the Cowboys thin at receiver and banged up on the offensive line, Vegas is catching Dallas at the right time. The Raiders defense has actually played pretty well on the road, allowing an average of 23 points per game as the visitors.

How Dallas Will Cover

Dallas has covered its last four games following a SU loss, including a 43-3 dismantling of the Falcons in Week 10. The Cowboys offense should certainly be motivated to bounce back with a dominant performance in front of a national audience, and the Raiders’ sputtering attack should struggle to keep up.

Computer Pick: Dallas -7

For more NFL predictions, visit our NFL Computer Picks page.