Henry Roldán
The start of the NFL preseason for the Dallas Cowboys was not at all encouraging after committing an impressive amount of penalties and being widely outplayed by the Denver Broncos with a 17-7 slate.
The second week is not much different, as they will have to face a Los Angeles Chargers team that, although they will not have their starters in the game, has a very important core of young players that will put the Cowboys to work.
Las Vegas is well aware of this and while Dallas is favored to win the NFC East Division, deep down they don’t seem to have the tools to beat the Chargers next Saturday.
Dallas Cowboys Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for NFL Preseason Week 2 2022
Moneyline: (+145)
Dak Prescott’s and Ezekiel Elliott’s confirmed absences is one of the main reasons why the Cowboys are projected to have a tough matchup against the Chargers.
Against Denver, the Dallas offense gained 316 total yards, but due to penalties and a lack of punch, the seven points they scored came with five minutes left in the game.
The Los Angeles team allowed 29 points to the Rams, but let’s remember that they are the reigning champions. Against the Cowboys, things look to be very different.
Spread: +3.0
While the Dallas defense allowed all 17 of the Broncos’ 17 points in the second quarter, much of the 17 penalties and 129 yards they provided came from the defensive side.
Something that does not help those who believe the Cowboys can lose by three points or fewer to a Chargers offense that, despite being without Justin Herbert, is coming off a 22-point, 312-yard total against a good Rams defense.
Without defensive discipline, teams with good attacking variations such as Los Angeles will not miss the opportunity to take advantage of them.
Over/Under: 37.5
Despite the fact that the Chargers defense is also called to be one of the best in the league, and barely allowed 212 total yards to the Rams during the first week of preseason, it seems almost impossible for the Cowboys to repeat the horrible performance they had against the Broncos.
In Dallas, they probably already have some answers to last weekend’s mistakes and will put a little more action on offense. Although I wouldn’t be so sure that defensively they would also improve.
The Chargers have the same amount of variants in their second and third teams as Denver, so if they can make some plays, they could put Dallas’ defensive unit in trouble and give us a good scoring fest.
Future Odds Dallas Cowboys
Over/Under wins in the season: Over 10.5 (+120) / Under 10.5 (-145)
Despite having the best quarterback in the NFC East, the Cowboys seem to have a hard time winning 12 games like last season. In the first six weeks they face the Bucs and Rams, while they have to visit the Packers, Titans and of course the Vikings this year.
Reach postseason: Yes (-250) / No (+230)
It looks extremely difficult for the Cowboys not to reach the postseason this year, even if it is by way of the wild card. While they have a tough schedule, for 2022 the NFC doesn’t look as competitive as it has in the past, so leaving them out of the race is not a good bet.
NFC East Champions: +140
Of course, the Cowboys are not the same team as last season, but their hegemony since 2018 within the division, with an 18-6 record against their rivals, puts them one step ahead of them to win the divisional title again.
NFC Champions: +900
The +900 line speaks for itself. There’s no denying that the Cowboys should be a postseason team, but with the Rams, Packers, and Buccaneers in the same Conference, it doesn’t look very realistic that Dak Prescott and company can overtake them in 2022.
Win the Super Bowl: +2000
With an average defense and a depleted wide receiver corps, not even a great season from Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott seems to be enough to bring the Cowboys back to the championship game. Also, Mike McCarthy has shown himself to be a good head coach, but not a Super Bowl one.
Dak Prescott wins MVP: +1800
Last season, with a good corps of receivers, Dak Prescott had his best season in the NFL. And while that bodes well, he won’t have those same weapons in attack this year, so his performance may not be the same.
Ezekiel Elliot wins MVP: +25000
While Ezekiel Elliott remains one of the best running backs in the NFL, to win an MVP you have to be the best to compete with a quarterback. The Dallas running back is a long way from his early league performance and winning the award in 2022.
