The Packers will try to salvage their season on Sunday afternoon when they return home to play the Cowboys at Lambeau Field (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX). Green Bay has lost five-straight games, while Dallas has won four out of its past five and is coming off of a bye.
The Cowboys hope to have veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott back in the starting lineup after he missed Week 8 because of a knee injury. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that Elliott is expected to play, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. If Elliott is active, Dallas will have a loaded backfield that could give the Packers’ struggling run defense some problems. The last time we saw the Cowboys, they beat the Bears 49-29 a couple of weeks ago at Jerry World.
As for the Packers, they need a win after being humiliated by the Lions 15-9 last week at Ford Field. Aaron Rodgers struggled in the defeat, completing 23-of-43 passes for 291 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions. Green Bay will need Rodgers to play better, but it will be hard without rookie WRs Romeo Doubs (ankle) and Christian Watson (concussion), who suffered injuries in Week 9.
WEEK 10 NFL PICKS: ATS | Straight up
Below, we’ll give you all the information you need before placing a wager on Cowboys-Packers, including the updated odds from Sports Interaction, tips, and our prediction for this Week 10 matchup.
Betting odds courtesy of Sports Interaction
- Spread: Cowboys -4
- Over/Under: 43.5
- Moneyline: Cowboys -200, Packers +166
To no one’s surprise, the Cowboys are the favorites heading into Sunday’s game. Dallas is coming into the game relatively healthy, while the Packers are banged-up on both sides of the ball. The total is set at just 43.5 points, as Dallas has one of the best-scoring defenses (16.6 points per game allowed). Meanwhile, Green Bay’s offense has struggled, scoring just 17.1 points per game.
Cowboys vs. Packers all-time series
The Packers lead the all-time series over the Cowboys with a record of 20-17. Green Bay has four out of the past five matchups, including three-straight road wins at Jerry World. The last time these two teams played each other was in Week 5 in 2019 when the Packers defeated the Cowboys 34-24. Green Bay running back Aaron Jones posted 182 total yards and three rushing touchdowns on 26 touches.
Three trends to know
— The Cowboys are 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread when favored this season, according to Bryan Zarpentine of BetQL.
— Dallas is also 8-0 ATS when facing a team with a losing record over the past two years, according to Zarpentine.
— Meanwhile, Green Bay is 1-5 ATS in its past six games, but it’s 4-2 ATS in its past six games in November.
Take advantage of BetQL’s 3-day free trial and see all of our best bets across all sports, including college football, NFL, and MLB!
Three things to watch for
Who steps up a wide receiver for Green Bay?
With Randall Cobb (ankle) on IR, Christian Watson dealing with his second concussion of the season, and Doubs on the shelf because of a high-ankle sprain, Rodgers will be looking for someone to step up in Green Bay’s beleaguered wide receiver unit. The Packers are currently down to Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Samori Toure, and Amari Rodgers.
If Watson does not play, we could see more playing time for Toure, who has flashed over the past two games with a couple of big catches. The 24-year-old had two receptions (four targets) for 34 yards against the Lions and a 37-yard TD catch against the Bills in Week 8. For a team lacking a big-play threat, Toure could be the wide receiver who steps up, especially with the Cowboys keying in on Lazard.
The battle of the running backs
Speaking of the running backs, both teams have a great running back duo, which will play an integral part in the outcome on Sunday afternoon. Green Bay’s run defense has struggled this season, allowing 138.6 yards per game. However, the Cowboys’ defense has not been that much better, giving up 131.5 rushing yards per game. Aaron Jones leads the Packers’ running back room with 600 yards on 107 carries this season. Jones suffered an ankle injury last week, but he hoping to play on Sunday. Jones is backed up by Dillon, who is more of a power back but can also be used as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
As for the Cowboys, Elliott is technically the starter on paper, but Pollard is the more explosive option and a better fit for the offense. In his past four games, the 25-year-old running back has 344 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries. Pollard went off in the Cowboys’ last game against the Bears, posting 131 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns. It would not be a surprise to see Pollard go off again despite the potential return of Elliott.
Can Aaron Rodgers bounce back or will the slide continue?
If the Packers want to snap their five-game losing skid on Sunday, they will need Rodgers to play better. The veteran quarterback was horrible last week, throwing one touchdown and three interceptions. The last time Rodgers threw three interceptions in a game was in Week 14 of the 2017 season against the Panthers (26/45 for 290 yards, three TDs, three INTs).
A couple of the interceptions that Rodgers threw were bad luck, but the result doesn’t change what happened in Detroit. He’ll be facing an opportunistic Dallas defense that has 13 takeaways and leads the league in sacks (33). If the Packers’ offensive line cannot protect Rodgers, it might be another long day for the veteran quarterback.
Stat that matters
5. This is the number of regular-season wins Rodgers has in eight career games against the Cowboys. He’s played well against Dallas in his career, which should give Green Bay fans some hope heading into Sunday’s game. Rodgers is completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 1,940 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an interception in those eight games. Packers fans hope this Rodgers shows up in a must-win game at Lambeau Field.
Cowboys vs. Packers prediction
If Rodgers had a healthy wide receiver corps and Jones wasn’t dinged up, you could make a case for the Packers to cover on Sunday. However, the Cowboys are the better team on both sides of the ball and can win in the trenches. Green Bay is 16-4 straight up in their past 20 home games, but it doesn’t matter in this spot. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will be looking to exploit the Packers’ run defense, which does not have Rashan Gary (ACL). Dallas’ defense should be able to hone in on the Packers’ running game and keep it in check.
PREDICTION: Cowboys 24, Packers 17. The Cowboys will cover (-4), and the total will go UNDER (43.5).
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