Panthers-Cowboys Preview

NFL Football Betting Preview by Jay of BangTheBook.com
Carolina Panthers (0-2) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
Monday, September 28^th, 8:35PM Eastern

Online Sportsbook betting line – Dallas -9.5, 47.5 O/U

The Dallas Cowboys fell to the New York Giants, 33-31, in the regular season debut at the new Cowboys Stadium in Week 2.

The Cowboys must put the tough loss behind them and focus on Week 3, when they host the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football. In 2008, Carolina shared the best record with the Giants with a 12-4 mark.

However, the Panthers have taken a different path early in 2009 dropping by their first two games.

The Panthers have glaring holes on both sides of the ball heading into Monday night. Linebacker Na’il Diggs, strong safety Chris Harris, fullback Brad Hoover, and rookie defensive end Everette Brown are all not expected to play due to injury.

The Panthers—who were considered by some to be the best team in the NFC South—cannot afford to drop to 0-3.

They have a tough mountain to climb without some key starters and a struggling offense that has yet to play well.

QB Jake Delhomme threw four interceptions in the Panthers opening blowout loss to Philadelphia. Delhomme has been under the microscope since throwing five picks in the 2008 NFC Divisional Round against Arizona.

Delhomme bounced back somewhat last week, completing 61 percent of his passes for 308 yards.

However, Delhomme was only able to throw one touchdown and tossed another interception. The Panthers quarterback has now thrown 10 picks in his last three games dating back to 2008.

However, hopefully Delhomme can shake early season troubles against a defense that produced just eight interceptions all of last season (third worst in the NFL).

If the Panthers offense is to establish success, it will likely happen on the ground. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart may be the best duo in the NFL, combining for over 2,300 yards in 2008.

Williams is the most explosive of the two and will get the most touches. However, that is not to downplay Stewart, who is averaging 5.0 yards per carry on 20 attempts this season. Carolina needs both to have a big game and to take pressure off of the passing game.

Still, when Delhomme does drop back, he will be looking to get the ball in the hands of Steve Smith. Smith is an electric playmaker who has carried the passing game on his back for some years.

Smith has reached the 1,000-yard plateau in four straight seasons and knows how to find the end zone. Expect the Panthers to try to get him the ball to create an offensive boost. 

The Cowboys on the other hand have to be careful given their condition.

They are coming off a last-second loss to the division rival Giants and are now taking on a struggling 0-2 team. However, the Panthers are still a solid bunch who cannot be taken lightly.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the defense has been their inability to get into the backfield. The Cowboys led the NFL with 59 sacks in 2008 and OLB DeMarcus Ware also led the league with 20 solo sacks.

However, Dallas is the only team in the NFL yet to record a sack. It is imperative they get into the Panthers backfield and force Delhomme to make mistakes.

The Cowboys have been less than stellar on the defensive side of the ball, allowing 438 ypg in just two outings as well. Early season statistics can be misleading, but the Dallas defensive front has not lived up to its potential. 

One of the big concerns in Dallas was who would provide the big play at the wide receiver position.

The question still may have not been answered. However, the Cowboys have gotten solid production from Patrick Crayton, Roy Williams, and always reliable TE Jason Witten.

Witten leads the team with 10 catches, but Crayton, Williams, and Miles Austin are all averaging 20-plus yards per catch.

Romo has been scrutinized for not being the superstar that media has perceived him to be. Romo threw three picks in last week's loss.

The Dallas quarterback has not thrown an interception in just six games, dating back to the end of the 2006 season. Romo needs to limit his habit of throwing dangerous passes and give the Cowboys offense a bit more ball control.

Also, keep an eye on the Cowboys rushing game. Marion Barber may sit out due to a quadriceps injury, which would give the workload to Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

Jones has just 13 carries on the year, but has amassed 113 yards. The loss should not hurt the Cowboys unless Jones wears down late in the game when Barber is known for playing his best football.

BTB's NFL Pick – Dallas owns the series, winning the last seven regular season meetings. However, given the letdown effect, the game will be closer than expected. Cowboys should win, but likely they do not cover the points. Take Carolina +9.5.