Redskins vs. Cowboys: All Signs Point to 'Skins Covering the Spread

Gambling on Monday Night Football is never an easy task considering it gets more action than any other game of the week.

No other game is more influenced by the general betting public.

We’ve seen tonight’s NFC East showdown between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys start at -7 for the Cowboys, to drop all the way down to -3.5. (Spreads courtesy of Covers.com.)

Clearly the injuries to WR Miles Austin (out), QB Tony Romo (questionable), RB Felix Jones (questionable) and WR Dez Bryant (questionable) have scared America.

Yet even after losing 3.5 points, I still think the Redskins are the pick here. Here’s why:

The Redskins are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games at Dallas.

The ‘Skins and Cowboys are one of the great rivalries the sport has to offer and more often than not, the fourth quarter is a nail-biter. The Redskins in general have struggled in recent years meaning the spread has always been somewhat large, and each time the Redskins stick around until the very end…and in some cases win outright.

In fact, the Redskins are 7-2 ATS in their last nine meetings with the Cowboys. To give you a better idea of why you need to throw the record book out the window when these two meet, the underdog is 21-6 ATS in the last 27 games.

These trends are all very telling, but what about the actual matchups?

The Redskins struck gold when they traded for RB Tim Hightower in the preseason. He is the perfect back to complement head coach Mike Shanahan’s zone run-blocking scheme because of his vision, speed and ability to hit the hole without hesitation.

He has taken the pressure off QB Rex Grossman and the result is a 2-0 mark. With a receiving corps that is the best Washington has seen in the last decade, this is an exceptionally balanced offense.

Defensively they are extremely disciplined and are excellent at making the first tackle. CB DeAngelo Hall may have a big mouth, but he’s revived his career in Washington and is now one of the better cover corners in the NFL.

On the flip side, the Cowboys have one of the worst secondaries in the league and CB Terrance Newman is dealing with an injury that will likely limit him tonight. Expect Cowboys killer WR Santana Moss to extend the field with a multiple huge plays that will open up running lanes for Hightower.

On offense, Romo will be protecting his ribs at all costs. That means more throwaways and dump-offs than usual…something the Redskins know is coming. The Cowboys had the 30^th-ranked rushing offense with a healthy Jones…imagine it with Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray.

When considering the history of this rivalry, strong ATS trends, a plethora of Cowboys injuries and a confident and balanced Redskins team…it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Washington doesn’t win outright.

Getting a 3.5-point cushion is just icing on the cake.

Prediction: Redskins 27 Cowboys 20