Los Angeles Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1/12/19 NFL Playoffs Predictions

Rams vs. Cowboys Spread Prediction

The Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams will meet in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET, with the host laying seven points. Are oddsmakers undervaluing the Cowboys and can bettors thus take advantage of the line?

Game Snapshot

303 Dallas Cowboys at 304 Los Angeles Rams

8:15 p.m. ET, Saturday, January 12, 2019

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Public Betting Trends

According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Rams are 7-point favorites to beat the Cowboys. The total, meanwhile, sits at 48.5 points. As of this writing, 56% of the public betting tickets are on the Colts to cover the point spread.

Dallas Cowboys

According to Mike Fisher of 247 Sports, Cowboys DL David Irving has missed multiple drug tests over the past two months. He was suspended for the first four games of 2018 for violating the league's substance abuse policy and could be headed for another ban. Irving remains on the team's active roster, though a high-ankle sprain has kept him out since early November.

Los Angeles Rams

Todd Gurley (knee) has been removed from the injury report for the Divisional Round. "He looks like Todd," coach Sean McVay said Thursday. "He looks like the explosive, great back that we're used to seeing." Gurley missed the final two games of the season but has now had three weeks to rest. We would expect him to be full bore against the Cowboys.

NFL Betting Trends

Dallas

The Cowboys are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five playoff games, including last week in the Wild Card round when they allowed the Seahawks a backdoor cover.

Los Angeles

The Rams are 1-4-1 against the spread in their last six home games.

Prediction

I don’t like this matchup for the Rams, who can be had on the ground defensively. That spells trouble tonight against a Cowboys team that runs their offense through Ezekiel Elliott. If Elliott can control this game on the ground, then that means less for Dak Prescott to do and less worry for Dallas’ offensive line in pass protection (a must with Aaron Donald on the other side). Defensively, the Cowboys have the athletes in their front seven to contain Gurley and put pressure on Jared Goff, who struggles when feeling the heat. The Rams still may win but this is simply too many points.

NFL Divisional Round Predictions: Dallas Cowboys +7