To cap off the first Sunday of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys head to MetLife Stadium for a date with the New York Giants.
Both teams fell short in their pursuit of an NFC Conference Championship last year, but have playoff expectations once again in 2023. The Cowboys enter as short favorites on the road in this NFC East battle.
Here’s a Dallas-centric, three-leg same-game parlay for Sunday Night Football of NFL Week 1, which I put together on FanDuel.
Cowboys
Moneyline (-174)
The Cowboys are one of the teams I’m expecting big things from this season. Dak Prescott returns under center and while the public dissent is not positive — NFL-worst 15 interceptions will do that to you — there’s a lot to love about him.
Prescott suffered an injury Week 1 against the Buccaneers and was shaky upon his return. Yes, he had arguably his worst season yet, but I’m confident in his ability to bounce back to 2021 form. Prescott finished with nearly 4,500 yards and 37 touchdowns then.
What better way to start the season than with a win over your division rival? I hold the Cowboys in higher regard than New York — and I think an NFC East title isn’t out of the question.
The Giants were statistically one of the luckiest teams in football last season, per our luck rankings, winning four games above expected. N.Y. crawled into the playoffs after a 2-5-1 end to the year, and after an upset win over Minnesota, was dismantled by Philadelphia.
Dallas made the necessary offseason movements to bolster its roster. The loss of Dalton Schultz hurts, but Brandin Cooks is a legit No. 2. Stephon Gilmore adds secondary help to a unit that already has a dominant trio in Trevon Diggs, DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.
The Giants’ biggest splash was trading for Darren Waller, who figures to play a large role in an offense that lacks a ton of talent at receiver. While New York’s defensive line should be great once again, it’s the secondary and offensive line that remain weak.
I’m not sure how New York’s line — that was 24th in pass blocking — is going to stop Dallas' defense. Losing Jon Feliciano adds another hole in this Giants team that will rely on Daniel Jones’ legs early and often. His decision making in general has been spotty in the past.
While Brian Daboll has shown a propensity for winning big games and immediately making an impact as a head coach, I can’t get behind New York taking this one — even at home. Back the Cowboys to start things right with a win.
Michael Gallup
Anytime Touchdown (+310)
All the attention will be on Ceedee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, but there’s a third big-bodied receiver that has been one of Prescott’s favorite red-zone targets when healthy.
That man is Michael Gallup. He's battled injuries throughout the last few seasons, but when it comes down to a pure target basis, Gallup is a consistent option.
In 14 games last season, he was targeted in the red zone 13 times. His target percentage was 18%, per Lineups. That number could very well rise with the departures of both Dalton Schultz (20%) and Noah Brown (16%).
I’m not too keen on Cooks becoming a touchdown machine with his 5-foot-10 frame — he is a deadly receiver in the open field, though — nor do I expect much from the tight end trio of Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker and Peyton Hendershot.
I’m looking to attack the Giants where they’re most vulnerable, and that’s the secondary. Two rookie cornerbacks are slated to start alongside second-year CB Azeez Ojulari. That inexperience, paired with a Sunday Night Football primetime opportunity, gives Dallas’ veteran receiving corps a clear advantage.
At +370, there’s too much value to pass up on the sixth-year vet.
Dak Prescott
Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-128)
I can keep this blurb short and simple. Following along the lines of the Gallup anytime touchdown bet, I expect Dallas and Prescott to control the offense through the passing game.
The Giants front seven is much better than the secondary. It’s a lot to ask two rookie cornerbacks to line up against veteran receivers, and without Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys don’t have a bruiser to punch it in at the goal line.
Instead, I expect targets to go toward Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup, if not Jake Ferguson. Tack on Tony Pollard’s dual-threat ability and the play action is also a possibility in the red zone.
Expect Prescott to start off the season hot with 2+ passing touchdowns en route to a Week 1 win.
Cowboys vs. Giants Same Game Parlay
- Cowboys Moneyline (-174)
- Michael Gallup Anytime TD (+310)
- Dak Prescott Over 1.5 Passing TDs (-128)
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