National Football League

NFL odds: How to bet Panthers vs. Cowboys

Updated Sep. 29, 2021 10:14 p.m. ET

No team has been a bigger surprise to start the 2021 NFL season than the 3-0 Carolina Panthers, who now face the tall task of heading to Dallas to take on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys.

Here are the NFL odds on Panthers vs. Cowboys: the point spread, moneyline and total over/under, plus picks from our betting expert (with all odds via FOX Bet).

For more, head on over to our full NFL Odds: Week 4, and check out the all-new NFL Odds section for more analysis, betting-friendly schedules, clickable odds modules and much more.

Carolina Panthers @ Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX)

Point spread: Cowboys -4.5 (Cowboys favored to win by more than 4.5 points, otherwise Panthers cover)
Moneyline: Cowboys -200 favorites to win (bet $10 to win $15 total); Panthers +170 underdogs to win (bet $10 to win $27 total)
Total scoring over/under: 50.5 points scored by both teams combined

With just one more win, the Panthers would already be halfway to the over on their 2021 season win total of 7.5, which really puts Carolina's hot start into context.

The Panthers are first in total defense and second in scoring defense through three weeks. They're also first in defense in Football Outsiders' advanced DVOA metric, as well as first in overall DVOA.* Meanwhile, Sam Darnold is completing 68.2% of his passes for 8.3 yards per attempt – 11th in the NFL, ahead of the likes of Aaron Rodgers (7.7), Tom Brady (7.4) … and Dak Prescott (7.3).

*DVOA is a metric that attempts to measure how well a team performs on both offense and defense based on game situation, down-and-distance, etc.

Prescott and the 2-1 Cowboys, conversely, are riding their fifth-ranked offense, including a top-five rushing attack, paced by both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard averaging more than 60 yards per game and combining for four rushing TDs so far.

Will defense best offense? And perhaps more importantly, who covers? Let's ask Colin Cowherd.

Pick via FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd: "I think I'd take Dallas here. Because without Christian McCaffrey, you are really going to rely on Sam Darnold. Darnold has been playing to his strengths the first three weeks, which is playing with a lead and they are not dependant on him. He's playing off of play-action.

"Well, if you don't have McCaffrey, that changes. You are throwing on throwing situations, and Dallas can generate a pass rush. Remember, Dallas was able to get excellent pressure against Justin Herbert against a pretty solid OL for the Chargers. This is a bad Carolina offensive line."

Pick: Cowboys (-4.5 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 4.5 points

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