The Dallas Cowboys roll into Week 9 with a six-game winning streak and a league-leading seven-game cover streak. Predictably, books tip the Cowboys as the whopping double-digit favorites over the Denver Broncos as quarterback Dak Prescott is expected to return to the lineup. Is the market right? Are the Broncos in danger of suffering a blowout?
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Denver Broncos vs Dallas Cowboys Betting Lines
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Over/Under |
| Denver Broncos | +10 -120 | +350 | 49½ -110o |
| Dallas Cowboys | -10 Ev | -450 | 49½ -110u |
Head-to-Head
The Denver Broncos have a six-game winning streak over the Dallas Cowboys that dates back to 1998. The most recent meeting was a 42-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Mile High on Sept. 17, 2017. It goes without saying that this record has no bearing on this weekend’s showdown. The clue is in the NFL odds as oddsmakers tip this game with the Dallas Cowboys as the 10-point home chalk..
Denver Broncos
Next game: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Last Game
The Denver Broncos bounced back into the win column on Sunday, beating the Washington Football Team 17-10 and covering as the closing 4-point favorites for NFL picks against the spread.
Teddy Bridgewater had a modest game, finishing 19 of 26 for 213 yards and a touchdown. Melvin Gordon led the team in rushing with 47 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown. Tim Patrick led the team in receiving with 64 yards on three receptions.
Denver’s win over Washington snapped a four-game losing streak and lifted the Broncos to .500, but they’re at the bottom of the AFC West as things currently stand. Moreover, given the Chiefs’ pedigree and the way that the Raiders and Chargers are playing right now, Denver is out of its depths.
Injury Report
Cornerback Bryce Callahan (knee) and tight end Noah Fant (illness) are out indefinitely; nose tackle Mike Purcell (thunb),and safety Jamar Johnson (quadricep) are questionable.
Dallas Cowboys
Next game: vs Atlanta Falcons
Last Game
One of the feel-good stories to emerge from Week 8 of the NFL was backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who led the Dallas Cowboys to a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in his NFL debut. Rush spent several years as a backup on Dallas’ roster, but not until last Sunday did he get his first start when he replaced an injured Prescott
The Cowboys posted their sixth straight victory behind a 20-16 win over the Vikings. The betting online market flipped on the game and Dallas moved into underdog territory after Rush was announced as the starter — a precautionary measure to give Prescot more time to recover from a calf injury he’d sustained in Week 7 against the Patriots.
Tale told, the Cowboys delivered the “upset” over the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Cooper Rush’s dad 😂 what a night for that family pic.twitter.com/B9sbRoInBW
— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) November 1, 2021
Injury Report
Quarterback Dak Prescott (calf) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle) are expected to play; wide receiver Amari Cooper (hamstring), linebacker Francis Bernard (hamstring), tight end Sean McKeon (ankle), tackle Tyron Smith (ankle), and wide receiver Michael Gallup (calf) are questionable.
Betting on the Game
Lookahead lines projected the Cowboys as touchdown favorites for this game, but after Sunday’s round of NFL action, markets reopened with the Cowboys spotting the Broncos anywhere between 9½ to 10 points. This overwhelming favor underscores the likelihood of Prescott starting this week.
Coach Mike McCarthy does have options, though. Rush proved he was an able replacement quarterback, and in beating the Vikings, he might have bought Prescott valuable time to rest and recover. After all, it’s about the long game in Jerry’s World, where destination Super Bowl is openly acknowledged as the ultimate goal.
The Broncos are coming off a win over the WFT, but it’s hardly worth shaking a pompom at. Beating an offensively challenged Football Team is hardly a ringing endorsement. Then again, that’s what the Broncos are about this season. The Broncos are 4-4 straight up on the season, but all their victories have come against inferior opponents.
Although the season isn’t over, the Broncos might already be selling out after trading away stalware pass rusher Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams. The timing of the trade couldn’t have come at a worse time, just ahead of a date with one of the most prolific offenses. With Bradley Chubb out and Miller gone, Denver’s defense could be overwhelmed.
So, as far as the betting goes, this game hinges on whether Prescott starts in this Week 9 contest. Assuming he does, the Cowboys at -10 (or better yet, at -9 ½ if you can still get it) is a sound bet. There’s no way Bridgewater can go toe-to-toe with Prescott and his enviable offensive weapons.
Should Rush get the call, the value might be with the Broncos, although that depends on the NFL line that will be available at the time across online sports betting markets. For those on the fence, play the waiting game and see if you can get a better number.
The game total opened on 49½ points and it’s held strong since. Early consensus betting reveals the under is the popular bet right now, which makes sense considering Denver’s unreliable offense and Dallas’ improved defense.
If you like the under, lock it down before the public bets down the line. Waiting to see how low the line falls might be an option that opens the door to an over bet, but betting the over would be a bet on Dallas making up the bulk of the points in this game, which is also possible. Twice this season, the Cowboys have cracked 40 points and five of their games have gone over 50 points.
