NFL Free Pick: Titans vs Cowboys
Scott Morris | November 5, 2018
Monday Night Football brings to a close Week 9 of the NFL regular season when the Tennessee Titans visit the Dallas Cowboys.
The current line has Dallas favored by 4.5 points with the over/under on 40.5.
This game marks the debut for Dallas of wide receiver Amari Copper who the Cowboys traded for with Oakland sending a first round draft pick to the Raiders.
A bye week could not of come soon enough for the Titans, who followed a run off three straight wins with a three-game losing streak in which the team scored a total of only 31 points and included two defeats by one point.
Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota hurt his elbow during the first game of the season and has dealt with numbness in his throwing had since, but has stopped using the glove he started to wear after being injured.
Mariota’s injury and the season ending injury to Delanie Walker, the Titans All-Pro tight end, in Week 1 has helped contribute to the woes of Mariota who has thrown just three TD passes with five interceptions while passing for less than 129 yards in four of the six games he has played.
The running game has struggled as well, with Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis not producing the yards on the ground that many had expected.
Defensively, Tennessee is No. 19 against the rush allowing 112.3 yards a game.
Dallas lost both Jason Witten and Dez Bryant during the offseason and the aerial attack for the Cowboys has been grounded since. The acquisition of Cooper is expected to change that as the team is No. 29 in passing offense at 183.1 yards per game.
Before being traded, Cooper had 22 receptions and one touchdown for the Raiders this season. However, Dallas has the No. 4 ranked rushing game with running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys running back has 619 yards rushing good enough for second in the league to start Week 9.
Dallas is No. 3 overall against the passing allowing 217.4 yards per game and total defense allowing 313.6 yards per game.
Dallas allows the second fewest points in the NFL at 17.6 per game, while Tennessee allows the third fewest at 18.1 per game.
Prediction: Dallas’ running game and threat of Amari Cooper will keep the Titans defense off balance, while Dallas on defense will dare the Titans to beat them on the ground by shutting down the passing game. Take the Cowboys at home less the points. Dallas wins 23-17
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