Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys 2019: Prediction Against The Spread, Betting Odds For Week 5

Both the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys are out to prove that their respective 3-0 starts to the 2019 NFL season were no fluke. They’ll get that opportunity in Week 5 when they meet at AT&T Stadium.

Green Bay had one of the league’s best defenses during their perfect run, surrendering just 35 total points in Weeks 1-3. The unit came crashing back to earth in Week 4 with a 34-27 loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles.

For Dallas, it was an elite offense that catapulted the team to the top of its division. The Cowboys scored more than 30 points on each of the season’s first three Sundays and Dak Prescott performed like an MVP candidate. In Week 4, Dallas only mustered up 10 points, losing to the New Orleans Saints when they didn’t allow a single touchdown.

Is the Packers’ defense for real? Green Bay didn’t exactly excel against great quarterbacks, shutting down Mitchell Trubisky, Kirk Cousins and Joe Flacco.

Will the Cowboys’ offense get back to being one of the league’s best? Dallas has faced the NFL’s two worst scoring defenses in the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. The Cowboys also beat the New York Giants, who surrendered more than 30 points per game before keeping Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins out of the end zone last week.

Dallas is an early 3.5-point favorite, according to the latest betting line at OddsShark. The over/under is 46.5.

Even after their struggles in New Orleans, the Cowboys are second in yards per play, ranking behind only Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Dallas is third in total offense. Prescott is fourth in passer rating.

The Packers are eighth in opponents’ yards per play. Green Bay is 10th in total defense.

Perhaps most importantly for Sunday’s matchup, the Packers have given up more yards on the ground than 25 other teams. Green Bay is 29th in opponents’ yards per rush.

Facing the Packers’ run defense could be exactly what the Cowboys need to get back into their offensive groove.

The Saints limited Ezekiel Elliott to 35 yards on 18 attempts in their Week 4 win over the Cowboys. It’s no secret that Prescott isn’t nearly as effective when Elliott is held in check. The quarterback had by far his worst game of 2019, posting season-lows of 223 yards and a 73.2 passer rating.

Look for Elliott to bounce back against a defense that just let Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders run for 159 yards on 26 carries. Green Bay couldn’t stop Philadelphia’s rushing attack when they knew it was coming. Carson Wentz only needed to throw for 160 yards. The quarterback had a 113.2 passer rating.

Dalvin Cook had 20 rushes for 154 yards at Lambeau Field in Week 2.

Green Bay is third in the NFC with 12 sacks. The defense didn’t sack Wentz once in Week 4 when they finally met an elite offensive line. Prescott could remain upright for most of Sunday’s game, even with the injury to starting left tackle Tyron Smith.

Dallas’ offense won’t be as successful as it was over the first three weeks. It won’t have to be, considering Green Bay struggled to put up points before facing a depleted Philadelphia secondary.

Davante Adams is unlikely to play in Week 5 because of a foot injury. Maybe Aaron Rodgers will make enough big plays to overcome that loss, but he won’t have a ton of help against a defense that actually ranks one spot ahead of Green Bay in yards per play allowed.

Adams caught 10 passes for 180 yards when the offense finally had a breakout game. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison, Green Bay’s No.2 and No.3 wide receivers, have fewer combined receptions than Adams.

The Packers are 23rd in yards per play. Matt LaFleur hasn’t proven to be an upgrade over Mike McCarthy against good defenses.

The Cowboys have a good enough defense to limit a Green Bay offense that scored 10 points in its only road game of the season. Dallas has won seven straight home games, allowing no more than 23 points in any of those contests.

Prediction: Dallas over Green Bay, 26-20