Vegas Free Preview: Cowboys vs. 49ers Line

The Dallas Cowboys (2-1) travel to the west coast as they battle the San Francisco 49ers (1-2) in a matchup of NFC foes Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is at 4:25 pm ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Regional television coverage for the contest is provided by FOX. The current odds have the Cowboys favored by 2 points with the over/under set at 44 points in this contest.

Cowboys vs. 49ers Vegas Odds Preview

Dallas won their second straight by downing the Bears 31-17 at home last week on Sunday Night Football. San Francisco was overwhelmed on the road by the Seahawks, falling 37-18 last week to the Legion of Boom. This is the 28th all-time meeting between the franchises in the regular season. San Francisco holds a 15-11-1 edge in the series. The Cowboys won four of the last six meetings. The 49ers claimed a 28-17 road win on September 7, 2014 in the last meeting between the teams. Dallas’s last win was a 27-24 win on the road September 18, 2011.

Free Pick and Point Spread Prediction: Cowboys -2

Dallas is 16th in the league in passing offense with 251 yards per game. The Cowboys are 4th in the league in rushing with an average of 134 yards per contest. Dallas is ranked 11th in scoring offense with 25.7 points per contest. The Cowboys stand 10th in the league as they allow 20 points a game. Rookie Dak Prescott is 66 of 99 passing for 767 yards with one touchdown and no picks. He has 54 rushing yards and two scores. In the run game, rookie Ezekiel Elliott leads the team with 274 yards and two touchdowns. Veteran free agent signing Alfred Morris is a valuable handcuff. He has 61 yards and two scores.

Prescott’s favorite target in the first month of the year is Cole Beasley. He has 20 receptions for 213 yards this season. Tight end Jason Witten (14 grabs, 142 yards) and Dez Bryant (11 receptions, 150 yards, TD) are solid options. Bryant is expected to miss this game with a hairline fracture in his knee. That provides more opportunities for guys like Terrance Williams and Brice Butler to make plays in the passing game. Dan Bailey hit all eight extra points and seven of eight field goals this season with a long of 56 yards.

San Francisco has the third worst passing offense in the league with an average of 175.3 yards per game. The 49ers are 11th in the league in rushing with 116.7 yards per game though they average only 3.5 yards per carry. San Francisco is 14th in the league in scoring with 24.3 points per game. Defensively, the 49ers are tied for 23rd as they allow 27.7 points a game. Blaine Gabbert is just 53 of 96 passing for 532 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He averages 5.5 yards per pass attempt. Gabbert is second on the team with 75 rushing yards and a score. Colin Kaepernick and his social media maelstrom continues to be a highly paid clipboard holder.

Carlos Hyde leads the team with 225 yards and four scores on the ground this season. Shaun Draughn is the #2 back but he’s done nothing to write home about. He has 21 carries for 49 yards and a score. In the passing game, Jeremy Kerley leads the team with 12 grabs for 114 yards. Quinton Patton (nine receptions, 93 yards) and Torrey Smith (eight catches, 103 yards, TD) are other targets in the passing game. Dallas’s defense allows 288.3 yards per game through the air as opposing QBs complete 62.6 percent of their throws. Perhaps Gabbert can take advantage of that and move the ball through the air. Phil Dawson hit all eight extra points and three of four field goal attempts this season with a long of 39 yards.

The 49ers were a different team in their week 1 home opener than we saw the last two weeks. You can’t flip a switch depending on where you’re playing though. Teams have to be consistent week in and week out. That’s not the calling card of the 49ers, as evidenced by the last two games. Dallas is gaining confidence with each passing week as Prescott continues to build a rapport with his team. Dez Bryant likely doesn’t play here after being diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his knee. The 49ers put forth a spirited effort in front of the home crowd but Dallas has more talent. The Cowboys make it three straight wins. Check us out for more free NFL picks all season long!

The Cowboys are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games on grass and 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. The 49ers are 2-7-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.

Read More Like This