Week 1: Cowboys at Panthers
- Which side would you take in Cowboys at Panthers? (Poll consensus last season: 9-11-1)
- Panthers minus-3 — 67.2%
- Cowboys plus-3 — 32.8%
This poll is closed, see Full Results »
Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
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The Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys are two of the top four winningest franchises in the NFC over the last five years.
And yet scheduling oddities have resulted in the Panthers and Cowboys playing once in the span. Carolina and Dallas face off for the first time since Thanksgiving 2015 — when the Panthers crushed the Cowboys 33-14 as a 1-point favorite to stay undefeated — in a 1:25 p.m. kickoff this afternoon.
It’s the game of the week in the Sun’s handicapping contest. The seventh-annual competition requires each member of the sports staff to make six picks — point-spread and totals are both accepted — weekly including one on the game of the week.
Despite the sustained success of Carolina and Dallas, bettors aren’t particularly high on either team coming into this season. Neither the Panthers nor the Cowboys are favored to make the playoffs according to the betting market.
They’re tied at seventh in the NFC with 30-to-1 odds to win the Super Bowl, and 15-to-1 odds to win the conference at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook. On yes/no props to reach the playoffs, Dallas’ odds to reach the postseason sit at plus-160 (risking $1 to win $1.60) with Carolina at plus-150 (risking $1 to win $1.50).
The team’s evenly-matched nature is also reflected on the betting line, where the Panthers come in as the standard 3-point favorite at home.
Check below for all of the Sun’s week 1 contest picks. Games are listed in order of their sports book rotation numbers.
Jesse Granger (2017 co-champion)
Last Season: 57-40-5
Bengals plus-2.5 at Colts
Texans vs. Patriots under 50 points
Chargers minus-3.5 vs. Chiefs
Cowboys plus-3 at Panthers
Redskins plus-1 at Cardinals
Rams minus-5 at Raiders
Case Keefer (2012, 2014, 2015 champion, 2013 and 2017 co-champion)
Last Season: 57-40-5
Colts minus-2.5 vs. Bengals
Dolphins plus-1 vs. Titans
Chargers minus-3.5 vs. Chiefs
Cowboys plus-3 at Panthers
Packers minus-7 vs. Bears
Raiders plus-5 vs. Rams
Mike Grimala
Last Season: 52-48-2
Steelers minus-4 at Browns
Ravens minus-8 vs. Bills
Patriots minus-6.5 vs. Texans
Chargers minus-3.5 vs. Chiefs
Seahawks plus-3 at Broncos
Panthers minus-3 vs. Cowboys
Ray Brewer (2016 champion, 2013 co-champion)
Last Season: 43-57-2
Bengals plus-2.5 at Colts
Giants plus-2.5 vs. Jaguars
Titans minus-1 at Dolphins
Panthers minus-3 vs. Cowboys
Cardinals minus-1 vs. Redskins
Bears vs. Packers over 47 points
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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