The Dallas Cowboys opened the season against the New York Giants and rode them out of MetLife Stadium, 40-0. After beating the New York Jets in second week action, 30-10, the Cowboys were 11 point favorites against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
And lost.
In what has so far proven to be the Cardinals only win of 2023, they upset the high flying Cowboys who arrived in town after outsourcing their first two opponents by a 70-10 margin and then got upset by what many consider the worst team in football.
So, if that happened, could the Giants have a chance this week when they look to avenge that 40-0 opening day loss?
Not according to the bookmakers and bettors. The Cowboys opened as a 10 point favorite and after it was announced that the Giants have lost to an injury their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, the line has risen like the heat in Scottsdale in August. The Cowboys are currently a 17 point home favorite over the struggling Giants.
We have seen some amazing underdog wins this year in the NFL. The Denver Broncos ended a 16 game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs a couple weeks ago with a 24-9 home triumph over Patrick Mahomes and company.
But the Giants, with rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito making his first NFL start, seems a stretch.
Yet, this season, the New England Patriots did upset the heavily favored Buffalo Bills.
But the beleaguered Giants without a proven quarterback, do they have a chance?
Here is where a chance can come from.
Do you think the Cowboys, even though they lost last week to the Philadelphia Eagles, are expecting anything but a cakewalk this Sunday when they host the Giants?
Probably not.
Does that matter?
Almost all upsets begin with a favorite that thinks they are 60 minutes of game clock away from a win and an underdog that knows it has to play super just to avoid getting blown out. And, how have teams getting 16 or more points on the spread done in the NFL over the past ten seasons.
Well, the favorites do consistently win, they are 25-4 straight up. But in those same 29 games, the underdog is a near split against the line, 14-15. Also, as a road underdog, like the Giants are on Sunday, the teams getting the bloated lines are 12-12 versus the number.
At least we know that with the points the Giants have as good of a chance of collecting the money as the Cowboys. But is this no more than a 50/50 proposition?
I think not.
This is a divisional game with the Giants looking to snap a five game losing streak against their NFC East Division rivals … and the Cowboys thinking it can’t happen.
It happened against the Cardinals to the Cowboys this season and it could happen here too.
Qoxhi Picks: New York Giants (+17) over Dallas Cowboys