Cowboys vs Eagles Public Betting Trends for Week 18 Matchup – Sharp Money on Dallas
- The Cowboys are seven-point road favorites over the Eagles on Saturday night
- A large share of the total handle, 81%, is going on the Cowboys
- The wagering trends for a matchup of playoff-bound teams can be found below
The Dallas Cowboys visit the Philadelphia Eagles at 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday in a game tricky to handicap.
The Cowboys (11-5) and Eagles (9-7) have clinched playoff berths, and neither can significantly improve their seeding with a win. The Cowboys plan to give their starters some playing time to keep sharp, but Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has been noncommittal about his player-usage plans.
The Cowboys are seven-point favorites while drawing 81% of the handle and 56% of the overall bets in NFL Betting Trends.
The Eagles are on a four-game winning streak and the Cowboys had their four-game winning streak ended last week by the visiting Arizona Cardinals 25-22.
Cowboys vs Eagles Betting Trends
| Team | Spread | ATS Handle% | ATS Bet% | Total Points | O/U Handle% | O/U Bet% | Moneyline | ML Handle% | ML Bet% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | -7 | 81% | 56% | Over 42.5 | 75% | 82% | -320 | 68% | 71% |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +7 | 19% | 44% | Under 42.5 | 25% | 18% | +250 | 32% | 29% |
Betting Trends as of January 8th.
Sharps Hitting Cowboys Hard
The Cowboys opened as two-point favorites, but the line has climbed all week. The disparity between the handle and total number of bets is an indication the sharps are hitting Dallas in this matchup.
Most of that reasoning likely stems from coach Mike McCarthy saying he wants to play his first-teamers. Quarterback Dak Prescott has also lobbied to play a significant number of snaps.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott found Cedrick Wilson for this 2-yard TD vs. Cardinals. Per @NextGenStats, that was Dak's 22nd TD pass against the blitz this season. 7 more than any other QB.pic.twitter.com/ugSXnGgjU3
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) January 6, 2022
While Sirianni didn’t lay out his plans publicly, it seems likely QB Jalen Hurts won’t make anything more than a cameo appearance – if he plays at all.
Hurts sustained an ankle injury in Week 12 and was sidelined for a win over the New York Jets the following week. Though Hurts has started the last three games, his name has often been on the injury report during that time.
This is one of the best plays of the season by Jalen Hurts!!!
What a play! 🔥#Eagleshttps://t.co/K5ZAIvxVcG
— Thomas R. Petersen (@thomasrp93) January 2, 2022
Thus, look for plenty of backup Gardner Minshew II.
Public Likes the Over
The over/under has jumped 1.5 points to 42.5 after opening at 41 with 75% of the handle and 82% of the bets going on the over.
It would seem the decision to play Prescott has helped influence those numbers. Yet there some other factors involved.
For one, Cooper Rush has proven to be a competent backup quarterback for the Cowboys. Making his first NFL start, Rush stepped in for Prescott in Week 8 and led Dallas over the Minnesota Vikings 20-16 for a road victory on Sunday Night Football.
Dak Prescott chases down Cooper Rush and envelopes him in a bear hug, after a dramatic win in Minnesota, and Rush’s game-winning touchdown pass to Amari Cooper. pic.twitter.com/hZAawd1EMD
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) November 1, 2021
Rush threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns. The second score was a game-winner, a 5-yard pass to Amari Cooper with 51 seconds left.
The Eagles’ offense should also be aided by Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs being ruled out because of illness. Diggs leads the NFL with 11 interceptions, tying the franchise record set by Everson Walls in 1981.
Minshew was solid in his lone start for the Eagles this season, throwing for 242 yards and two TDs in the 33-18 victory over the Jets.
Money on Cowboys to Win
Nearly three-quarters of the moneyline bets are on the Cowboys. Dallas has generated 68% of the handle and 71% of the total wagers and its odds have taken an enormous jump from -130 at opening to the current -320.
The Eagles are now at +250 after opening at +110. However, Philadelphia seems ready for a visit from its fiercest rival.
24 hours#DALvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/YoFZmVktI7
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 8, 2022
The odds movement is not overly surprising and can again be traced to the playing time angle. The Cowboys are also one of the most popular teams in all of sports and always a favorite of the betting public.
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John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
