Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons 2017: Prediction, Betting Odds For Week 10

The Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons were the NFC’s two best teams last season. Dallas had the conference’s best record, while Atlanta nearly beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Only one of the two teams looks like a Super Bowl contender ahead of their Week 10 matchup.

Since coming off their bye week, the Cowboys are playing as well as anyone. They’ve rebounded from a 2-3 start to the 2017 NFL season with a three-game winning streak. After beating the Kansas City Chiefs 28-17, Dallas has outscored their opponents by 65 points since Week 7.

Atlanta’s season has gone just the opposite. They didn’t suffer their first loss of the season until Week 4. It was the start of a three-game losing streak, and the Falcons have just one victory since going 3-0 to begin the year.

Two of Atlanta’s losses came in tough road games—they lost in New England and in Carolina—but the Falcons were also defeated at home by the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Atlanta could quickly fall out of contention in the NFC South. The Falcons trail the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, both of whom have six wins.

Despite their struggles, Atlanta is favored at home over Dallas. The betting odds at OddsShark make the Cowboys a three-point underdog. The over/under is 50.5.

If the Falcons hope to avoid a fifth loss in six games, they’ll have to find the offensive firepower that got them to the Super Bowl last season. Atlanta has been held to 17 points or fewer in all of their defeats. They haven’t scored more than 25 points since Week 3.

That kind of production probably won’t be enough to keep pace with the Cowboys. Ever since they were embarrassed 42-17 by the Denver Broncos in Week 2, Dallas hasn’t failed to score 28 points in any game. Dak Prescott has 17 combined touchdown passes and runs and just two interceptions during that stretch.

It’s possible that this will be the week that Dallas’ offense finally slows down. The Falcon’s are 11th in yards allowed per play, and the Cowboys haven’t faced a team that ranks even in the top 14 in that category since being beaten by Denver.

A hearing Thursday could finally force Ezekiel Elliott to start serving his six-game suspension. The running back has been terrific during Dallas’ winning streak, averaging 117 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns per game.

None of that is going to make Steve Sarkisian a better offensive coordinator. It won’t change the fact that a struggling Falcons’ offense is facing a Cowboys’ defense that seems to be improving each week.

Dallas has allowed fewer than 20 points in each of the team’s last three games. If it wasn’t for a 57-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half, the Cowboys would’ve held the Chiefs to just 10 points last week. Kansas City is fifth in points per game.

The Falcons have been able to move the ball well, ranking second in yards per play, but they haven’t been able to turn that into points. That might not change against a Super Bowl contender that’s playing its best football of the year.

Prediction: Dallas over Atlanta, 27-23