A new era for the Washington Redskins will get underway on Sunday night against the club’s biggest rival. After going through five head coaches in the last decade, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is hoping that he finally has found the right leader for his squad. Mike Shanahan won a pair of Super Bowl titles during his time with the Denver Broncos. Shanahan will be counting on a quarterback that has something to prove in his debut season with the Redskins.
- Cowboys-Redskins Week 1 Line: Cowboys -3.5 points
- Cowboys-Redskins Over-Under: 40 points
- Cowboys-Redskins Week 1 Expert Picks: Click Here
Cowboys looking to take the next step:
Dallas finally won a playoff game in 2009 for its first postseason win since 1996. Now, the Cowboys could be ready for a deep playoff run. Quarterback Tony Romo leads an offense that has plenty of weapons. While the Cowboys were 2nd in the league in total offense last season, the squad was just 14th in the NFL in scoring offense due to some red zone issues.
The Dallas defense also has a lot of talent to work with. The Cowboys were 2nd in the NFL in scoring defense in 2009. Dallas certainly has the talent to reach the Super Bowl. However, there are questions about the ability of head coach Wade Phillips to get the Cowboys to the next level.
McNabb stays in NFC East:
After five trips to the NFC title game in the last decade with the Philadelphia Eagles, Donovan McNabb was dealt to Washington during the offseason. At the age of 33, McNabb will continue his pursuit of a Super Bowl ring in a new locale. While he posted the third-best quarterback rating of his career last season, the Eagles felt that McNabb was no longer capable of playing championship football.
After being slowed by an ankle injury this preseason, McNabb is expected to start the regular season opener. The Cowboys were a 3.5-point favorite before McNabb’s injury, so the line will need to be watched closely. McNabb will try to boost an offense that has finished in the bottom ten in the NFL in scoring offense in each of the last two seasons.
The Redskins wide receivers are pretty average. On the ground, Washington is counting on veterans Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson to still have something left in the tank. While the offense has some issues, the Redskins have finished in the top 10 in total defense in each of the last three seasons.
Cowboys vs. Redskins Betting Trends:
In last year’s 4-12 campaign, the Redskins were just 6-9-1 against the spread. In two matchups against Dallas in 2009, Washington failed to score a touchdown. The Redskins did cover in a 7-6 defeat at Dallas in week 11 but were blanked in a 24-0 home setback in week 16.
In over/under results, Washington went 8-2 to the over in its final ten games of last season. During this stretch, the only two games to go under the total were against Dallas. The Cowboys went 9-7 ATS in 2009. In its final nine games of last season, Dallas was 8-1 to the under.
Cowboys vs. Redskins Score Prediction:
Cowboys 20 – Redskins 17
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