We have another Monday and another primetime divisional matchup. Tonight, we close out Week 3 of the 2021 season as the newly revived Dallas Cowboys host their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles. In this NFL betting prediction, let’s dive into a Cowboys spread vs. Eagles pick and determine the best bet for this Monday Night Football matchup.
Monday Night Football Pick: Cowboys vs. Eagles Prediction
No opposing teams’ fans hate each other more than the Cowboys and Eagles. That added intensity on a primetime Monday Night Football matchup will create an incredible layer of energy to tonight’s game.
Both teams have faced different levels of competition entering Week 3. The Cowboys started with the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then met the playoff-hopeful Los Angeles Chargers. The Eagles, on the other hand, faced the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 and followed that up with a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles have dominated the “what have you done for me lately” portion of the competition. They have a couple of Super Bowl appearances and one victory compared to the Cowboys’ goose egg in both categories. However, when discussing their historical achievements, Dallas owns a clear advantage due to the five rings they have amassed. Which side will claim victory after tonight’s Monday Night Football bout?
Will the real Eagles please stand up?
The Eagles turned many heads by dominating the Falcons in Week 1, and some observers questioned whether they would be in a short rebuild mode. Week 2 brought those expectations back down to reality. Determining which Eagles performance shows up in this Monday Night Football pick will bring a little more clarity to the situation.
The Philadelphia defense has done a tremendous job of limiting high-flying offenses so far and will have its hands full tonight against quarterback Dak Prescott and Co. The Eagles’ D ranks second in the league in scoring, limiting opposing offenses to 11.5 points per game. They are facing significant injury concerns yet again, which may eventually be their downfall.
Even without DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia’s defensive front should pressure Prescott and cause disruptions. They will need to, considering the Cowboys rank third-best in plays of 10 or more yards this season. Philadelphia has lost their last three road games in Dallas, but Hurts will look to right the ship.
Offensively, the Eagles will need to ramp up the tempo not only tonight but for the remainder of the season. They are averaging 21.5 points per game and have seen an improvement from Hurts. He is currently leading the Eagles in rushing with 144 yards and a touchdown.
Hurts has completed 67.2% of his passes for 454 yards and 3 scores with no interceptions. He possesses elite-level elusiveness and will make the Dallas defense suffer if they can’t contain him consistently.
Jerry’s World
The Cowboys have all the weapons to be a league-leading offense, and they have proven it thus far. With three elite wide receivers to go along with a dual-headed running back attack and a mobile quarterback, Dallas can attack opponents in numerous ways. Will they run away in this Monday Night Football bout?
Both Cowboys games have come down to game-winning field goals, and Dallas has been on either side. In their first game at home, the Dallas crowd should have plenty of noise to bring to this rivalry matchup. The last three home games against Philadelphia have been lucrative for Dallas. They have dominated the Eagles with a 17-point average margin of victory.
Offensively, the Cowboys have more reliable players to depend on when critical third downs and scoring opportunities arise. This will be their third high-intensity game in a row, and they should capitalize on Philadelphia’s sub-par defense. If Dallas focuses on a balanced offensive attack, they should be able to squeeze out a victory against an undermanned Philadelphia squad.
Monday Night Football prediction and pick
With two offenses that can put points on the board in a flurry, plus two defenses that have overperformed thus far in the season, I’m expecting a regression to the mean defensively in this game. As we factor in the multiple injuries across the board for both units, the total seems clear. This matchup seems like a high-scoring affair where the team with the ball last secures the victory.
It’s a primetime divisional matchup that usually leads to closer games, whether low-scoring or in a shootout. Because of this, I would lean Eagles +3.5 if I felt more confident in a side. My best bet in this game comes down to the total, however. Keep in mind that Dallas has a 1-7 record against the spread in their last eight games as a favorite, and they are 1-5 against the spread dating back to last year against NFC East rivals.
I see this game finishing around a 30-27 final with the Eagles likely covering but losing. Instead of picking a side, I feel more comfortable taking over 51.5 points. Watch as both offenses expose the overperforming defenses in this Monday Night Football prediction.