Week 2, 2011: Cowboys vs 49ers by EvenMoney

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers is a major test for both teams and has playoff implications. Yes, this early in the season! The NFC East will send two teams and the NFC West will only send one. A win over Dallas puts the Niners on pace for at least a 9-win season, which should be enough to win the NFC West.

Contrast that to Dallas which needs at least 10 wins to even think of claiming a Wild Card spot. The Cowboys tossed away a win in the final minutes in Week 1 against the Jets. They showed an ability to pass the ball with Tony Romo going for 342 yard on 64% completion. For the most part, the Cowboys handled the Jets’ various blitz packages, including on 3^rd & long.

HIGHLIGHTS - Dallas Cowboys vs New York Jets Week 1, 2011

The Cowboys defense played well. They stifled the Jets’ run game and matched the Jets’ 4 sacks. Dallas lost the game on penalties, turnovers and Special Teams.

On the other side of the field, they will face a 49ers team that had an impressive defensive outing against the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks won the NFC West in 2010 but with only a 7-9 record, which demonstrates why this division is there for the taking and will likely only send one team to the playoffs.

Courtesy of frostwd

For the 49ers, QuarterBack Alex Smith had an efficient outing where he completed 75% of his 20 passes. The defense set the pace early by holding the Seahawks scoreless for the first half, as the Niners went on to lead 16-0 at the half. And, the Special Teams converted on two big plays (kick and put returns) for touchdowns to squelch a Seahawks comeback with the score at 19-17.

HIGHLIGHTS - San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks Week 1, 2011

Picking this game is about determining the quality of opponent that the 49ers faced last week. Dallas showed they could control the ball and pass against a highly-touted Jets defense. Both teams have to answer these questions:

***Since neither team showed a running game in Week 1, can both QBs maintain their efficiency?

***Or, will Special Teams once again play a major role?

NFL PICKS Week 2

Cowboys (-3) Over (42) – Felix Jones will establish himself, as Dallas dominates time of possession.

9/18 4:05 ET Dallas -3 At San Francisco 42

http://www.footballlocks.com/nfl_lines.shtml @09/17/11 @ 9:40pm

Cowboys vs Vikings – Even Money’s NFL PLAYOFFS PICKS

Cowboys vs Vikings is the early game on Sunday for the NFL Playoffs Divisional Round. It features a Minnesota Vikings team that rose early to prominence in the NFC, and a Dallas Cowboys team that finished strong. This is the game to keep your money away from but it might be the most profitable if you make the right choice.

The Dallas Cowboys silenced their critics who claimed they could not win in December by relying on a defensive unit that gave up more than 21 points only 2 times this season.

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Ravens vs Patriots – Even Money’s NFL PLAYOFFS PICKS

Ravens vs Patriots meet on Sunday in an AFC NFL Playoffs Wild Card game that is a repeat of a battle they staged in NFL Week 4. In a normal year, neither of the teams with a bye would want to face the New England Patriots. But with a slew of reported injuries for Patriots players, the Ravens have a good chance of pulling an upset.

The Baltimore Ravens is still built on defense and the emergence of Ray Rice has allowed them to control the pace of games.

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Even Money’s NFL PICKS - NFL Playoffs Wild Card – Eagles vs. Cowboys

Eagles vs. Cowboys is the second NFL Playoffs Wild Card Game on Saturday night. This is the 3rd time the Philadelphia Eagles will play the Dallas Cowboys this year. The Cowboys have won the previous 2 meetings. These teams played last week in NFL Week 17 and the Cowboys won 24-0.
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The Eagles have not been able to do what they want to do – score 24+ points, which they did 11 times this season. Unfortunately the Eagles have not done this against a team that qualified for the playoffs this NFL season.

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Even Money’s NFL PICKS Week 17 – Eagles vs Cowboys

Eagles vs Cowboys is the marquee match-up for NFL Picks Week 17 All Sunday Games. This game is one of few where there is a playoff implication for both opponents. If the Philadelphia Eagles win, they clinch the 2^nd seed of the NFC playoffs. A Dallas Cowboys’ win and Minnesota Vikings loss gives them the 2^nd seed of the NFC playoffs. A win for either team makes them the NFC East division champion.

For the Dallas Cowboys, all talks of a December dive have been put to rest because of two consecutive wins, which allowed them to finish 2-2 for the month.

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Even Money's NFL Playoffs Scenarios 2010, NFL Power Rankings

The NFL Playoffs Picture is clear on one side and muddy on the other. For the NFC playoffs, three teams are vying for 2 Wild Card seeds: Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. While the AFC playoffs have 8 teams that are still mathematically capable of getting the 2 Wild Card Seeds. The Power Rankings below gives you a snapshot of who we think clear the hurdle, not based on tiebreaker. Eliminated teams are ranked below "Next Year".

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Even Money’s NFL PICKS Week 15 Saturday Night Football – Cowboys vs. Saints

Cowboys vs. Saints is the featured game for the first Saturday Night Football match-up and the focus of NFL Picks Week 15. This is a battle between neighbors: America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys vs. the New Orleans Saints who struggled for years in infamy as the ‘Aints. The Cowboys’ December slide has been discussed and documented in this chart– add one more loss to this season’s number, for last week's loss.

In our Week 15 Power Rankings the Dallas Cowboys did not crack the Top 10.

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Even Money’s NFL PICKS Week 14 Sunday – Cowboys vs. Chargers

Cowboys vs. Chargers is one of my marquee match-ups for NFL Picks Week 14. Two consecutive weeks that I have not been able to put my finger on the Dallas Cowboys pulse but I am hoping I get it right for this game against a surging San Diego Chargers squad. The Chargers have won 7 games in a row, and are 9-3 for the season.

During this 7 game, stretch the Chargers have averaged 31.14 points, while holding their opponents to 15.14 points. They have been dominating and during this stretch the Chargers beat two of Dallas’ NFC East division rivals – Giants and Eagles. In those two games the Chargers averaged 26 points and gave up 21.5 points. These totals mirror the Cowboys’ output against the two teams: scoring 24 and 20; and giving up 31 and 16 - winning one and losing the other.

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Cowboys Losing In December Boosts Packers vs. Ravens on Monday Night Football – NFL Picks

The Dallas Cowboys losing in December has become part of the landscape, no matter how much team owner Jerry Jones wants to downplay it. Sunday’s loss to the Giants furthers the importance of tonight’s Packers vs. Ravens match-up on Monday Night Football.

Before Sunday’s Cowboys’ loss, the common stance was that of a physical game in wintry Wisconsin. The Packers can now aim for a first round bye if they win at least 4 of their next 5 games. They have reason to be optimistic based on the following chart which shows how the Dallas Cowboys fare in December games.

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Even Money’s NFL PICKS Week 13– Cowboys, Giants: Standing Tall or Coming Up Short?

Cowboys vs. Giants is one of my marquee match-ups for NFL Picks Week 13. The playoff implications are clear for Dallas and New York. Dallas still has an outside shot of a bye but at worse can host a home playoff game by winning 4 of the next 5 games. For New York, winning 4 of the next 5 games give them a mathematical chance at a playoff Wild Card seeding.

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