Written by :
Published on :
In recent years, the Dallas Cowboys have been instilled among the favorites to win a championship and their respective division. This year, the expectations are low. They are listed with odds of +1200 (12/1) to win the 2010 Super Bowl at SBG Global, a far cry from the +300 favorite coming into last season.
Though talented on paper, the Cowboys are known best for their lack of leadership and poor team chemistry. Some of that may change with the exit of Terrell Owens, but some will also remain.
Likewise, the linebacking corp needs improvement and is a work in progress. Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart is gone and no replacement has been named.
Dallas Cowboys 2009 odds have them at +200 odds of winning the very tough NFC East division. The payout would be $200 for every $100 bet.
Dallas is a favorite to win UNDER 9 ½ regular season games in 2009 and that bet might have some value, even at -150 odds.
Romo efficiently completed 18 of 24 passes in the first half for 192 yards to seven different receivers in the Cowboys preseason game against Tennessee this past week. He had the first-team offense in position to score on three of its four drives.
"It's just taking what the defense gives you," Romo said. "If they want to take certain things away, we've got to be able to do something else."
The Cowboys have rid themselves of players they deemed as "distractions" and now the team is considered more "Romo-friendly". But Romo has a tendency to self-destruct towards the end of the season. Last year, they didn't even make it to the Playoffs.
Though the Cowboys are expected to be competitive, oddsmakers see them as the third best team in the division. So too does the press.
"In the last few years, this is probably the first time that we feel, not that we're being overlooked, but some of you guys have decided to take other teams in the division or in the conference and things of that nature," said Romo. "That's a different role, playing that kind of role -- not that that serves you good or bad. It's just a little different in that regard. That might be the only thing I see as a little different."
The offensive line could prove a problem in Dallas, writes ESPN.com's Matt Mosley:
The Cowboys may have one of the most overrated offensive lines in the league. They go to a lot of Pro Bowls, but you saw what happened when they had to protect an immobile quarterback such as Brad Johnson. That's when they needed to elevate their games. Romo's ability to keep plays alive helped the line's image for a couple of years. Pro Bowl right guard Leonard Davis weighs less (352 pounds) than at any time in his NFL career. He's moving around better than ever, and I think he'll improve as a run-blocker this season.
But the scary part is the Cowboys' lack of depth along the line. They've done a poor job drafting and developing offensive linemen over the years, which has caused them to sign players such as Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier and Davis via free agency. I guess Doug Free would have to step in and play left tackle if Flozell Adams were injured, and that's a dicey proposition. Maybe that's why the Cowboys have been giving Davis some reps at left tackle in some drills.
It's not like other teams have great players at backup spots along the offensive line, but the Cowboys appear to be particularly vulnerable. If you see Pat McQuistan or Free on the field for an extended amount of time, it will be a really bad sign.
With the proper mindset, Dallas could walk away with the division title but Philadelphia and the New York Giants would both have to play below expectations, and that seems highly unlikely.
Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
