In the aftermath of the Dallas Cowboys’ embarrassing loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving Day, team owner Jerry Jones pointed out that, if his team is to make a run to the Super Bowl, it won’t happen if he fires head coach Jason Garrett now. Most of the rest of the world, after looking at the Cowboys’ body of work this season, understands that, even with Garrett at the helm, the Cowboys are not likely to get past the first round of the playoffs. The team has played one complete game against a team that could be considered a contender, rolling the Philadelphia Eagles, 37-10, in prime time in Week 7.
Their other games have either featured an extremely talented roster playing down to the competition or coming apart at the wrong time. Now they head to Chicago to take on a Bears team that also struggles to move the ball and is also playing below expectations in 2019. Which team will win? Check out our sports betting preview of this week’s Thursday Night Football matchup.
Cowboys vs Bears 2019 NFL Week 14 Odds & Betting Analysis
- When: Thursday, December 5, 2019, 8:20 pm ET
- Where: Soldier Field, Chicago
- TV: NBC
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
- NFL Odds: Dallas -3
Why should you bet on the Cowboys?
When the Dallas offense is clicking, it produces yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott has had perhaps his finest season statistically, throwing for almost 3,800 yards and 23 touchdowns, against just 11 interceptions. Tailback Ezekiel Elliott is on the doorstep of another 1,000-yard season, finding the end zone seven times. Wide out Amari Cooper is the team’s top receiver, with 64 receptions for 971 yards and seven scores, but leg injuries have limited him the last three weeks.
Dallas has a +6.1 point differential this season, but that includes big wins over the likes of the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins. The Cowboys’ defense has occasionally produced pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Chicago quarterback Mitch Trubisky has shown a propensity for making extremely poor decisions when under duress. If you like the Cowboys, you see the Dallas O-line opening up holes for Elliott and giving Prescott time to make throws in the pocket, even though the line failed to do that in losses to New England and Buffalo, and even though Chicago has a pass rush that is probably better than either of those two teams’.
Why should you put your money on the Bears?
Chicago has gotten decent ball security out of Mitch Trubisky this season, as his 13:7 TD:INT ratio is serviceable. Tailback David Montgomery has run the ball for almost 600 yards and five scores. The problem comes when Trubisky has to throw the ball over medium- or long-range routes, and his accuracy bogs down. He is a quarterback who needs to set his feet just right to get his throws where he wants them, and so when he is under much pressure at all, that tends to fall apart.
Chicago had to work hard to overcome a Detroit Lions team led by a third-string rookie quarterback on Thanksgiving, escaping with a 24-20 win. Trubisky actually had a big day through the air, going 29 for 38 for 338 yards and three scores, along with one interception. Anthony Miller had a huge day, catching nine balls for 140 yards. The Bears’ defense stood tall, permitting just 364 total yards, including 105 rushing yards. If you like the Bears on Thursday, you see their defense frustrating the Dallas offense just like so many other teams have this season.
Final Score Prediction
Dallas has the better offense — but Chicago has the better defense, and Thursday night will be cold, as the high temperature that day is supposed to crest at 45 before moving toward a 33-degree low. Dallas does not play well in cold-weather outdoor games, and they have not shown mental toughness in a situation like this so far this season — except for that Eagles game. I predict a final score of Chicago 20, Dallas 16.
