Oddsmakers have a firm stance on who the Cowboys really are in 2022
When Dak Prescott's thumb injury took the NFL world by storm, the Dallas Cowboys were doubted by just about everyone. Most fans and media erased America's Team from the contenders' list and thought they could move on. By now, you know the story up to this point. Cooper Rush – helped out by one of the best […]
When Dak Prescott's thumb injury took the NFL world by storm, the Dallas Cowboys were doubted by just about everyone. Most fans and media erased America's Team from the contenders' list and thought they could move on.
By now, you know the story up to this point. Cooper Rush – helped out by one of the best defenses in the game – held down the fort surprisingly well. What was forecasted to be a disastrous stretch without their starting quarterback became a 4-1 window for the Cowboys.
That is the exact kind of surprise that you want in this league. But Dallas also had to deal with a less positive shock, however. Suddenly, the NFC East has turned into one of the best divisions in football. As it turns out, a 4-2 record is only good for third place in this division!
The Philadelphia Eagles are #1 at 6-0 with the New York Giants trailing them with a 5-1 record. Brian Daboll has done a fantastic job putting his team in a position to succeed and now the Cowboys know how important every single game is moving forward.
Meanwhile, oddsmakers have gone back and forth with their expectations of the Cowboys. When the season began, they were the favorites to claim the NFC East title. After Week 1, they went all the way down to #4. Even the Washington Commanders had better odds to win the division than them!
Now, things look better for the Cowboys. Judging by the odds, they have an even better shot at the NFC East than the second-place Giants. Consider the odds by DraftKings:
- Eagles -400
- Cowboys +550
- Giants +800
- Should I even list them? +10000
That might be surprising considering the Giants are currently #2 in the division and have brought down the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens in back-to-back weeks. But the oddsmakers aren't fooled by the records here. They know what's up.
Simply put, it makes sense that the Cowboys have better odds than the Giants given they have a significantly better quarterback. Plus, they're already 1-0 against New York this season.
Not to mention, this is a league of match-ups. And as was made evident by Dallas' incessant pressure on Daniel Jones in Week 2, they match up pretty well.
But don't be fooled, the Giants are a legit threat with a coaching staff that maximizes its talent.
Could three NFC East teams be in the playoffs? I don't doubt it one bit. Only one will get a home-field advantage in the Wild Card round, though. The race to "Run the East" is on. When was the last time this division was so fun?
Featured image via Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
