Dallas Heads to Chicago for Thursday Night Football With the Cowboys a 3-Point Favorite Over the Host Bears

Posted on: December 5, 2019, 12:47h. 

Last updated on: December 5, 2019, 01:16h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

Despite their recent struggles, the Dallas Cowboys travel to Chicago for Thursday Night Football as a 3-point favorite.

Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott said the Cowboys know they have underwhelmed this season. They will look to end a two-game losing streak Thursday when they face the Chicago Bears. (Image: Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

Both teams are 6-6, but the Cowboys have lost three of their last four games, including a 26-15 Thanksgiving loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. Dallas was a 6.5-point favorite last week, but Buffalo’s defense forced two turnovers in the second quarter as the Bills scored 26 straight points to overcome an early 7-0 deficit.

The dismal performance before a national audience led to defensive lineman Michael Bennett blistering his teammates in the locker room after the game. The locker room was closed, but Bennett was loud enough to be heard by reporters and others outside.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott said the players are not pleased with how they’ve performed. That’s been especially true on offense, as the league’s top squad in terms of average yards per game has only mustered 24 points over their last two games.

We know what type of team we have, and we haven’t put that on the field at all this year,” Elliott told NFL.com. “We’re pissed off. … We’re a better team than we’ve been putting on film every Sunday.”

While there has been speculation that Jason Garrett’s job as the Cowboys coach could be in jeopardy with the downward spiral, owner Jerry Jones has made it clear that any change would not happen during the season. So, if Garrett can lead the Cowboys to a deep playoff run, he may be able to salvage his job.

Dallas leads the NFC East by a game. The Cowboys control their destiny. If they win out, they will go to the playoffs.

Bettors Still High on Cowboys

The spread has not moved much over the past week. Only BetMGM has the Cowboys giving just 2.5 points.

Even with the Cowboys on the skids, they still have the support of bettors. According to oddsFire, 78 percent of FanDuel bettors are giving up the points. Those wagers account for 84 percent of the money bet on the spread.

The moneyline, too, has stayed stable. At FanDuel, Dallas is -154, compared to the Bears odds of +134. Cowboys bettors represent 53 percent of the straight-up bets, but those wagers equal 77 percent of the money gambled.

No precipitation is expected at Soldier Field tonight, with temperatures expected to be in the low 40s. Speaking of low 40s, oddsmakers have put the total points at 43.5 at FanDuel. DraftKings and William Hill have it at 43.

Gamblers think it will be a tight, low-scoring affair, as 59 percent of FanDuel bettors and 53 percent of the money wagered are on the under.

The Thursday Night Football game kicks off at 8:20 pm ET and will be broadcast on FOX.

Cowboys Face Another Solid Defense

The Bears are also coming off a Thanksgiving. But they mounted a comeback, beating the Detroit Lions 24-20, thanks to a Mitch Trubisky 3-yard touchdown pass to David Montgomery with 2:22 remaining.

Chicago will present Dallas with yet another tough defense. The Bears unit ranks seventh in the NFL in total defense. They will mark the third straight opponent Dallas will face that’s ranked seventh or higher.

However, while the Bears defense might be able to stop the Cowboys offense, the opposite may not hold. The Bears offense ranks fourth-worst in the league and must go up against a Cowboys defense that ranks eighth in the league.