Cowboys’ Odds to Win NFC East Plummet to +350 After Bad Loss in Washington
By Daniel Coyle in NFL Football
Updated: March 4, 2021 at 12:48 pm ESTPublished:
- On the heels of a lopsided 25-3 loss in Washington, the Dallas Cowboys have been toppled from the top of the odds to win the NFC East
- Now sporting a narrow lead atop the standings, the Philadelphia Eagles have emerged as favorites to repeat as NFC East champs
- We’ve got you covered with all the updated NFL divisional odds
Things went from bad to worse for the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s 25-3 loss to Washington. Now lagging in third place with a 2-5 record, the Cowboys have tumbled from their perch atop the NFL divisional odds to a lengthy +350 bet to claim this season’s NFC East crown.
Odds to Win NFC East
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | -165 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +350 |
| Washington | +420 |
| New York Giants | +1200 |
*Odds taken October 25, 2020
Cowboys Still Reeling From Loss Of Prescott
The Cowboys have struggled badly on both sides of the ball since losing quarterback Dak Prescott to a season-ending ankle injury, but remained pegged as +105 chalk to win the NFC East entering Week 7. Veteran Andy Dalton has been unable to spark the previously red-hot Dallas offense since taking over under center, with the Cowboys scoring just one touchdown and 13 total points in back-to-back losses to Arizona and Washington.
Andy Dalton suffered an injury after this play
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) October 25, 2020
Dalton connected on just nine pass attempts for 75 yards and one pick before being forced to leave Sunday’s contest with a suspected concussion, leaving the Cowboys’ offense in the hands of rookie passer Ben Dinucci.
NFC East standings after Week 7. pic.twitter.com/9aZpyBdbP4
— Bruv Shuv (@GoBirds_55) October 25, 2020
The Cowboys’ defense has also been awful, surrendering 37.7 points per game over the past six contests, and saddling the team with halftime deficits of 17 or more points on four occasions this season. The result has been a steady run of futility at the sportsbooks, with Dallas now sporting an 0-7 record against the spread this season, including a pair of outright losses as home chalk.
Dallas Far From Out Of It
Unlikely to hand the starter’s role to Dinucci, who was selected in the seventh round in this year’s NFL Draft, speculation has heated up over the possibility of the Cowboys pursuing Ryan Fitzpatrick. The 37-year-old may be available after losing the starter’s job in Miami to Tua Tagovailoa, and would bring some much needed leadership and experience to a team at a crossroads, but not yet out of contention.
Behold, our 2020 schedule in all its glory.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/oGVKkQVWqv
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 7, 2020
Indeed, a return to the top of the NFC East standings could come as early as next weekend, when the Cowboys visit Philadelphia. With Thursday night’s 22-21 win over the New York Giants, the Eagles moved past Dallas into top spot with a 2-4-1 record, and now lead the way as -165 favorites to repeat as NFC East division champs.
But with no shortage of injury problems of their own, particularly to their receiving corps, and with a daunting second-half schedule on the horizon, the Eagles may not be the divisional rivals Dallas has to worry about.
Washington Remains A Threat
With Sunday’s victory over Dallas, Washington snapped a five-game slide. Now deadlocked with Dallas at 2-5, but holding the edge in playoff tiebreakers, Washington sports dramatically improved +400 odds to win the division entering next week’s bye. More importantly, Sunday’s win kicks off a favorable five-game stretch for Washington that continues after their bye with dates against the Giants, Detroit and Cincinnati, before another pivotal matchup with Dallas in Week 12.
Kyle Allen finds Terry McLaurin for a 52-yard TD 🔥
Washington is up 15-3 on the Cowboys
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/iHEbM08nMc
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 25, 2020
Kyle Allen took a big step forward in establishing himself as the starter in Washington in Sunday’s win, connecting for 194 yards and a pair of scoring passes. In addition, the Cowboys defense proved to be a tonic for Washington’s bottom-ranked ground game, with the Football Team’s rushers racking up 208 yards . But it is far from clear as to whether this Washington team can maintain the momentum on offense.
The Cowboys have a long way to go to regain the confidence of loyal fans and sports bettors. But with another opportunity to redeem themselves in prime time next Sunday in Philadelphia, they are worth a value bet to rebound and claim the division crown.
Best Bets: Cowboys to win NFC East (+350)
Sports Writer
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
