FRISCO - Your love for your Dallas Cowboys is at the moment offset by the oddsmakers’ hate for them.
Or, better said, the oddsmakers’ hate for “America’s Team’s” chances of being good in 2025.
Not “Super Bowl”-good.
Not “playoffs”-good.
A game-by-game look at the just-released NFL schedule should have Cowboys fans reeling as the sportsbooks essentially predict Dallas will be a six-win team.
Ouch.
Of course, you’ve already seen the over/under wins stuff, with the Cowboys’ victory total perched precariously at 7.5 … which would make Dallas a big loser in 2025.
Is this team really not superior to last year’s “Lame Duck Blow it Up” squad that with Dak Prescott hobbling to the bench with a season-ending injury managed to finish a modest 7-10?
Let’s do our own game-by-game predictions complete with the oddsmakers’ numbers and gauge the result …
Week 1: at Philadelphia Eagles - Eagles favored by 7
The Cowboys will be motivated under new coach Brian Schottenheimer. But the Eagles will raise a banner as the reigning Super Bowl champion. … and the Eagles are the better team
Prediction: Loss (0-1)
Week 2: vs New York Giants - Cowboys favored by 4.5.
The Cowboys' home opener should allow Micah Parsons to feast on Russell Wilson.
Prediction: Win (1-1)
Week 3: at Chicago Bears - Bears favored by 3.
The Bears are already good under coach Ben Johnson? We prefer the idea of Matt Eberflus Revenge against Caleb Willams, who was sacked 68 times in 2024. … with Flus as his head coach.
Prediction: Win 2-1
Week 4: vs Green Bay Packers - Pack favored by 1.5.
The Packers' last visit to AT&T Stadium was a playoff upset win that set the Dallas program back years. This will be different? Show us.
Prediction: Loss 2-2
Week 5: at New York Jets - Cowboys favored by 1.5.
The Jets bet on Justin Fields and I expect the Cowboys to be able to shut down the cornerback, who has yet to prove he can operate from the pocket under pressure. It's a young offensive line being rebuilt but I think the Cowboys defense gets the best of it.
Prediction: Win 3-2
Week 6: at Carolina Panthers - Cowboys favored by 1.5.
It's Jonathan Mingo's Revenge!
Prediction: Win 4-2.
Week 7: vs Washington Commanders - Commanders favored by 2.5.
Gotta at least split with the Commanders. So you gotta have this one.
Prediction: Win 5-2.
Week 8: at Denver Broncos - Broncos favored by 4.5.
It's Mile High against a possible upstart team led by QB Bo Nix. How do we argue with the oddsmakers here?
Prediction: Loss 5-3.
Week 9: vs Arizona Cardinals - Cowboys favored by 1.5.
Kyler Murray never loses at AT&T Stadium, and all that. "The Due Theory'' says that ends now.
Prediction: Win 6-3.
Week 11: at Las Vegas Raiders - Cowboys favored by 1.5.
Frisco's own Ashton Jeanty in the spotlight for a Raiders that might come up short at QB. This can be a Dallas home game (crowd-wise) in Vegas.
Prediction: Win 7-3.
Week 12: vs Philadelphia Eagles - Eagles favored by 4.5.
Dak Prescott's Cowboys need to split against the Eagles, too ... but they won't. And the gauntlet is on ...
Prediction: Loss 7-4.
Week 13: vs Kansas City Chiefs - Chiefs favored by 4.5.
It's Texas native Patrick Mahomes-coming for Thanksgiving. The gauntlet continues ...
Prediction: Loss 7-5.
Week 14: at Detroit Lions - Lions favored by 6.
The Cowboys were crushed by the Lions in 2024. What's changed? Dallas loses this and its a three-game skid against three powerhouses.
Prediction: Loss 7-6.
Week 15: vs Minnesota Vikings - Vikings favored by 1.5.
Minny will have a kid QB in JJ McCarthy. The skid's just got to end.
Prediction: Win 8-6.
Week 16: vs Los Angeles Chargers - Chargers favored by 1.5.
Why is coach Jim Harbaugh team the pick on the road? No idea.
Prediction: Win 9-6.
Week 17: at Washington Commanders. Commanders favored by 5.5.
It's a Cowboys Christmas in DC. Weather, emotion, talent. ... The Commanders need that split.
Prediction: Loss 9-7.
Week 18: at New York Giants - Cowboys favored by 1.5.
The Giants will be in the junk heap by now. The Cowboys will need a win to be a Wild Card playoff spot. The better team wins.
Prediction: Win 10-7. ...
And Dallas is playoff-bound, except ... how did we come up with 10 wins - without being homers, we don't think - while the oddsmakers will say we engineered four unlikely upsets?