The Dallas Cowboys (4-2) return to action this Sunday against the Detroit Lions (1-4) and will be looking to bounce back from a tough 26-17 loss to their NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles (6-0).
One of the biggest storylines for this game will possibly be the return of QB Dak Prescott, as he’s medically cleared, but the team wants to work on his “timing.” This game could be the first time he has played since Week One.
After seeing what QB Cooper Rush brought to the table during his absence, there is no doubt that the team is excited for Prescott to come back. And, to clarify, this is no shot on Rush, as he did his job to keep the team afloat.
However, with Prescott, it’s obvious the offense flows better. While fans can point out Prescott’s previous mistakes that he has made in the past, opposing defenses respect the Cowboys’ offense with him at the helm.
It’s up to Prescott and OC Kellen Moore to gameplan ways to limit his mistakes and to have a healthy mix of run & pass, but I won’t be surprised to see the offense air it out more.
If Prescott does return for this game, it should be a game in which he builds his confidence up– as the Lions rank near the bottom in passing yards allowed per game. Besides the storyline of his return, it will be interesting to watch if the team can bounce back from the loss.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Sept. 23 | Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: AT&T Stadium, (Arlington, Texas)
TV: CBS | Stream: NFL+ & FuboTV
Commentators: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson
Radio: 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM), 107.5 La Grande in Spanish (KMVK-FM), SiriusXM
Early Odds
While we’re still a couple of days until kickoff, the early odds have the Cowboys as the favorite. Things can still change leading up to their Sunday afternoon matchup, but here are what betting sites and ESPN are saying below:
Caesars Sportsbook: Line: DAL, -7.0 | O/U: 49.0
ESPN Pick Center: DAL ML: -335 | DET ML: +260
ESPN Matchup Predictor: DAL: 76.9% chance to win | DET: 22.8% to win | Tie: 0.2%
BetMGM: Their model predicts the Cowboys to win with a 72.8% confidence rate.
Fantasy Football Starts
Dallas Cowboys
- QB Dak Prescott (start with caution): Returning from an injury, Prescott is likely to show some rust. While it’s an easy matchup fantasy-wise for him, I wouldn’t expect him to drop 20-plus fantasy points off the bat.
- RBs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard (START BIG TIME): The Lions rank dead-last in rushing yards allowed per game. End of story.
- WRs CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup (Start): Whether it’s Prescott or Rush throwing the ball– Lamb, Gallup, or anyone out there will get their touches.
- Dallas TEs (Start): As mentioned, any pass-catchers will thrive against the Lions on Sunday. However, with Prescott back, there is a chance that a boost in production is on the way for the TE group. Last season, we saw TE Dalton Schultz thrive with Prescott at the helm, and he ranked among the elite TEs in production.
Detroit Lions
- QB Jared Goff (Start): While the Cowboys are known for their defense, they could be in for a long day if they fail to stop the high-powered Lions’ offense, which ranks second in total offense. Don’t be surprised to see a shootout.
- RB D’Andre Swift (Start): One of the biggest flaws the Cowboys’ defense has is stopping the run. And guess who has a Top-10 running offense? The Detroit Lions. Swift should be back from his injury, and he has to be smiling at the opportunity in front of him.
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (Start): Like Swift, St. Brown should be back in the lineup for the Lions. He is their main guy in the offense, and even if the Boys throw CB Trevon Diggs on him, he’s bound to get his yards eventually since he’s their most-targeted player this season.
