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Carrie Stroup here for Gambling911.com with your Cowboys-Jets betting preview for Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season. This is a Sunday Night Football game.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: New York -5 & 40.5
Opening Line & Total: NYJ -4 & 41
Two of the NFL’s glamour franchises face off on Sunday Night Football when the Jets host Dallas in a Week 1 matchup.
This is one of the toughest games to pick on the Week 1 slate. The Cowboys went 5-3 ATS after Jason Garrett was promoted to head coach last year, but they haven’t played a game with QB Tony Romo since last October, and went 1-5 SU and ATS in his starts. On the other side, the Jets are breaking in a new group of receivers (aside from Santonio Holmes), and they kicked off last year with a dud at home against Baltimore. Despite their strong finish to 2010 (4-2 SU and ATS, including playoffs), the Jets are no sure thing to pick up where they left off.
This will also be a battle of the Ryan brothers: Jets head coach Rex and new Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob. The Dallas secondary is still suspect, but they upgraded at safety by adding Abram Elam, who came from Cleveland with Rob Ryan.
On the injury front for Dallas, No. 1 wideout Miles Austin has been bothered by a hamstring injury, but is expected to play. TE Martellus Bennett (ankle) is doubtful, and CB Terence Newman and DE Marcus Spears are both questionable for Sunday with groin injuries. For New York, only a couple of guards will not be available to play -- Robert Turner (leg) and Brandon Moore (hip).
Offensively, the Cowboys will have Romo back for the first time since he broke his collarbone last October. They dropped WR Roy Williams and RB Marion Barber, opening up more opportunities for WR Dez Bryant and RB Felix Jones. They also upgraded at right tackle, with No. 9 overall pick Tyron Smith replacing fading veteran Marc Colombo.
The Jets have talked about opening up the passing game for third-year QB Mark Sanchez, but they’re also breaking in a handful of new receivers. Gone are Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith, and in are 34-year-old Plaxico Burress, who hasn’t played since 2008, and 37-year-old former Raven Derrick Mason. It could take a little while for Sanchez to get on the same page as his new acquisitions. They can fall back on a power running game, this year led by RB Shonn Greene, who is talented but fumble-prone. Future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson will also get a handful of touches each game.
Defensively, Rex Ryan will continue to employ exotic blitz schemes in an attempt to generate pressure, but the Jets don’t have many pass-rushing threats. The strength of the defense is the secondary because of CB Darrelle Revis’ ability to take away one side of the field (possibly WR Miles Austin in this game). They are also elite against the run.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
