Cowboys open as 2.5-point underdogs on road for NFL Week 5 against Steelers
The Dallas Cowboys are underdogs for the third time in five weeks as they prep to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. After taking out the New York Giants, the Cowboys are back on the road again, heading back to the east coast. Meanwhile the Steelers stubbed their toes for the first time this season, falling way behind the Indianapolis Colts and unable to complete their comeback.
With Justin Fields now entrenched as the Steelers starter, the Cowboys will have to prepare themselves for yet another mobile quarterback after getting gutted by Lamar Jackson in Week 3 but containing a healing Daniel Jones in Week 4. Who will emerge victorious? Here’s how the Vegas sharps see things shaking out.
Opening Point Spread: Cowboys +2.5
Relying on Bet MGM’s odds, the Cowboys are road underdogs. Many people feel that home-field advantage is an automatic three points before a spread is adjusted for the quality of the team. That isn’t always the case. Based on historical trends, some team’s home-field advantage is adjusted up or down.
When reading spreads, the team that is favored is referred to as “giving points.” The Steelers are 2.5-point favorites, so in order to win a bet The Steelers have to win by at least three points.
The Cowboys are referred to as +2.5.
Spread History in 2024
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 02: The betting line and some of the nearly 400 proposition bets for Super Bowl 50 between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos are displayed at the Race & Sports SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino on February 2, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The newly renovated sports book has the world’s largest indoor LED video wall with 4,488 square feet of HD video screens measuring 240 feet wide and 20 feet tall. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Cowboys were +1 road underdogs in their opener and beat the Browns by 16. They were 6.5-point favorites at home over the Saints and lost by 25. In Week 3 Dallas was +1.5 and lost by three. On Thursday Dallas was favored by 5.5 and won by only five. The Cowboys are 1-3 against the spread.
The Steelers are 3-1 against the spread; their lone loss in Week 4 as they were 2.5-point favorites against the Colts but lost outright. They were 2.5-point favorites in Week 2 and Week 3 and respectively won by seven (@Broncos) and 10 points (vs Chargers). The one time they were underdogs was in Week 1, by four points, and they beat the Falcons by eight.
Over/Under opens at 42
The Over/Under is the guesstimate of the total amount of points to be scored by both teams.
For instance if the final score of Sunday’s game ends up being 23-20, then an Over bet would win because 43 total points were scored. If the final score was 21-20, then the Under bet would win based on a total of 41 points being scored.
Over/Under History in 2024
Dallas had blown the O/Us out of the water. Week 1 was expected to be a defensive struggle, but they and the Browns combined for 50 points, 8.5 above the 41.5 water level. In Week two the O/U was set for 47 and the teams combined for 63 total points. In Week 3 the O/U was 47.5 and Dallas and Baltimore combined for 53 points. In Week 4 the Cowboys and Giants combined for only 35 points.
The Steelers have been in defensive struggles the first three weeks, hitting the under as they combined for 28, 19 and 30 points respectively. That went out the window in Week 4 combining for 51 points, clearing the 41-point O/U handily.
Cowboys Money Line is currently set for +110
The Money Line is a simple win-or-lose bet. If someone thinks one team will win, but they don’t want to give or take any points, they bet on them “straight up.” Dallas’ moneyline is +110. The Steelers’ moneyline is -130.
If someone bets on a favorite the ML will be negative, an underdog, positive. All bets are spoken of in terms of wagering an even $100.
A bet of $130 on Pittsburgh to win outright would result in getting that back, plus winning an additional $100.
If someone were to wager $100 on the Cowboys, then they would get their $100 back, plus $110 in profit.
Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
