2019 Dallas Cowboys Odds to win the Super Bowl with Expert Betting Predictions

Jason Garrett should consider himself very lucky. The story around the Dallas Cowboys should be all about him. In nine and a half seasons at the head of the most iconic team in the sport, he has somehow won just two playoff games and has a .566 winning percentage that is a long way from impressive. Yet he is clearly a graduate of the Marvin Lewis Academy of Miraculously Never Getting Fired.

But the story isn't about his underwhelming background. It's about the contract drama swirling around this team and threatening to hijack the entire season. Ezekiel Elliott has not yet reported to the team, and by now we know that big-name running backs in this league don't always rush back without a deal. Dak Prescott is in camp, but he has reportedly rejected a deal worth $30 million a year and is looking to get paid - almost certainly more than he is worth. And Amari Cooper had a strong half-season after getting traded to the Cowboys, and he wants to get paid handsomely for it. It's a distraction already and will only become more of one with each passing day until it is resolved. And resolution doesn't seem like it will be easy to find.

Dallas Cowboys Coaching

Garrett is a mess, but that ground has already been covered. Garrett largely has the same staff as last year, but there is one significant and very interesting change. Scott Linehan had been the offensive coordinator the last four years, but Garrett sent him packing after last season. Elevated to replace him is Kellen Moore, who was QB coach last year. Moore was a QB with the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017, spending most of the time on the practice roster, though he did start one game. He was the only left-handed QB in the league in 2017. The former Boise State star only turned 30 this summer, so this is an incredibly rapid ascension. The new QB coach is another former Dallas QB. Jon Kitna has been coaching high school teams since retiring in 2012, and this is his first time back in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Situation

The quarterback room is the same as it was last year - at least at this point. Dak Prescott is obviously the man and will be so as long as he stays healthy and doesn't hold out. Behind him are two young backups. Cooper Rush was Moore's teammate in 2017 as a rookie, and the undrafted Central Michigan product is in his third season and only has three pass attempts. And Mike White, the Western Kentucky product, was selected by the Cowboys in the fifth-round last year. Neither backup has any real experience, but they do have familiarity - with the team and their new coordinator.

How The Dallas Cowboys Improved

Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was locked up long term, so at least they dealt with one important contract. Center Travis Frederick missed last year due to illness, but he's back and ready to go. They didn't pick until late in the second round because they traded their first-rounder for Cooper. Though they didn't select any immediately impactful guys, they did a good job of adding solid depth guys.

How The Dallas Cowboys Got Worse

The addition of Jason Witten at tight end is just a bad idea - though not having to deal with him as a commentator again this year is a very positive thing. He retired for a reason, and it's very unlikely that he will be able to perform like he did at his best. He's 37, and his last year was a long way from his best. Having him around is another distraction for a team that really doesn't need any more, and it limits their ability to develop more long-term solutions at the position.

Dallas Cowboys Schedule Analysis

They open against the Giants, at Washington, and against Miami. If they aren't 3-0 to start the season, it will be incredibly embarrassing - even if their three big stars weren't playing because of their contracts. That is followed with a trip to New Orleans and home games against Green Bay and Philadelphia in the next four, though, so it will be much more challenging to be unbeaten at that point. Besides the trip to Washington, they also play road games against the Giants, Lions and Jets, so they have a very smooth road to at least being .500 away from home. Last year they were just 3-5 on the road, so this would be a real boost.

2019-20 Dallas Cowboys Betting Odds and Trends

The Cowboys are tied with the Steelers and Vikings and behind 10 other teams to win the Super Bowl, sitting at +2500. They are tied with the Vikings as the sixth choice to win the NFC at +1200 and the second choice to win the NFC East at +175 - though far behind the Eagles at +150. The season win total is set at 9, with the "under" favored at -130. The Cowboys are +105 to make the playoffs and a slightly favored -125 to miss them. They are at +2000 to have the best record in the league and +3300 to have the worst record. Elliott is at +5000 to be named MVP, with Prescott not far behind at +6600. Witten is at +1600 to be comeback player of the year. Garrett is at +2800 to be named coach of the year and +1800 to be the first coach fired. He'd obviously rather have those numbers in a different order. Prescott is at +7500 to lead the league in passing yards and +10000 to lead in touchdowns. He's at +6600 to lead in interceptions. Elliott is the second choice to lead the league in rushing yards at +500 and in rushing touchdowns at +650. He's the fifth choice to lead in yards from scrimmage at +800. Amari Cooper is at +2800 to lead the league in receiving yards, with Randall Cobb a major longshot at +15000.

2019-20 Dallas Cowboys Predictions and NFL Picks

There is just too much for this team to overcome - and I'm not just talking about the incompetent head coaching. The contract issues are going to be a distraction. And even if they get resolved, they will have hurt the team's preparations. And they have too much uncertainty and change on the defensive side of the ball. But the NFC East is a long way from deep, and the schedule sets up reasonably well. They are a playoff contender, but not one that will have any impact if and when they get there. In other words, the Cowboys are the Cowboys.

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