Cowboys at Panthers stream, odds, pick and prediction

The Panthers get the edge at home

This game is a classic example of oddsmakers giving the edge to the home team in a pretty even matchup. Oddsshark.com has the Panthers as three point favorites to beat the Cowboys and that feels about right. There’s not a ton of obvious value in betting either side.

The biggest question mark for the Cowboys coming into the game is whether or not they have enough talent a wide receiver to move the football consistently. Ezekiel Elliott is going to grind out yards one way or another. It will be up to Dak Prescott and a relatively anonymous group of pass catchers to open up the field for him. If they can’t throw the football consistently, Elliott is going to see a ton of eight man fronts all season long.

Odds

Line: Carolina (-3)

Over/Under: 42.5

The chatter in Carolina this preseason has been all about making Newton a more efficient quarterback. Ron Rivera and company want to see his completion percentage sneak up into the high-60s at the very least. They’re not going to stop him from taking shots down the field, but look for a series of short throws to ease him into this game.

If this game was in Dallas, Vegas would call it a coin flip. Since it’s in Carolina, the Panthers are forced to lay three points. The Cowboys might be getting a slight bump due to the volume of backing they get as “America’s Team” but is it enough to lay serious money on Carolina?