The Bills will spend their Thanksgiving in Dallas taking on the 6-5 Cowboys. Despite having the inferior record, Dallas is a 6.5-point favorite at home. The over/under is currently set at 47.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills are 8-3 this season after winning their last two games over the Dolphins and Broncos. They are averaging 21 points per game while allowing 15.7 points on defense. They have also posted 365 yards on offense while giving up 308 yards per game to opponents.
The Bills are led on offense by quarterback Josh Allen who has thrown for 2,360 yards along with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Allen is also dangerous with his legs as he has ran for 387 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
The 36-year-old veteran Frank Gore leads the team in rushing with 541 yards and two touchdowns this season on the ground off 137 carries. He will be up against a tough Dallas defense but with Leighton Vander Esch out with an injury, it could open the middle of the field for the Bill’s running game.
John Brown has been the Bills leading receiver this season with 58 receptions for 856 yards and five touchdowns. He is a big play threat with a 14.8-yard average per reception. Robert Foster is currently listed as questionable this week, which could lead to Brown seeing an increase of targets.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys will enter this week with a 6-5 record after starting out the season 3-0. They dropped their game last week to the Patriots and head coach Jason Garrett’s future has come into question.
Someone who has had the same roller coaster season as the team is starting quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott has looked like an MVP candidate at times this season but has failed to get the job done at all at other times. He now has 3,433 yards through the air along with 21 touchdowns and ten interceptions. This Bills defense is a tough one and he will have to put together a good game and keep the ball out of defender’s hands to give the Cowboys a chance in this one.
After an offseason holdout, Ezekiel Elliott is back in the backfield for the Cowboys and has racked up 919 yards and seven touchdowns off 215 attempts this season. The former Ohio State back has been held under 100 yards rushing over the last three games. The Bills are giving up 104 yards per game on the ground so Elliott will look to get back on track and keep his offense on the field this week.
In his first full season with the team Amari Cooper has reeled in 56 receptions for 886 yards and seven touchdowns. The big story this week was Cooper being held without a catch against New England while being covered by all-pro corner Stephon Gilmore. Cooper will be looking to bounce back in this nationally televised game to show he can still get the job done for Dallas.
While Dallas has a strong defense, they will be without Leighton Vander Esch this week who is a staple of the defense. They still have enough talent to win this one and hold the Bills offense from exploding but filling his shoes will take more than one player.
What to expect
Although the Bills come in with the better record, I think the Dallas 6.5-point line is just about right. Being at home after a close loss to a very good team I have the Cowboys winning this one by seven with a big game from their top players, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper.
