Cowboys fighting off Bills for worse record

Bizarre as it may seem, only the winless Buffalo Bills have a worse record than the 1-6 Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys, who have the worst spread mark in the NFL at 1-6 ATS, travel to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay Sunday at 5:30 p.m. PT with NBC televising.
It’s another crucial test for the Cowboys, facing life without injured Tony Romo. NFL oddsmakers don’t think much of Dallas’ chances. The Packers are nine-point favorites with an ‘over/under’ of 45.
This is the largest Green Bay has been favored against the Cowboys since 1989. When the teams last met in November 2009, Dallas was a three-point road favorite. The Packers won, 17-7, with the combined 24 points going ‘under’ the 47-point total.
Now, in just one year, there’s a 12-point line difference. Is it justified?
Green Bay, 5-3, has won and covered in its last two games defeating Minnesota and the New York Jets, 9-0, last week as 6 ½-point road ‘dogs. But the Packers’ high-powered offense of a year ago has yet to kick in.
The Packers set a team record for points scored in a season during 2009, while producing a 4,000-yard passer in Aaron Rodgers and 1,000-yard rusher in Ryan Grant. This season, though, Green Bay ranks a mediocre 16th in total offense and 14th in scoring averaging 22 points a game.
Rodgers is just 17th in the passer ratings, although he has the fifth-most passing yards with 2,011. Grant is out for the season, which has severely weakened Green Bay’s ground attack.
The Packers won’t have injured Donald Driver (quadriceps), their second-leading receiver in back of Greg Jennings. The Packers already are without play-making tight end Jermichael Finley, who is out for the season with a knee injury.
Dallas, though, is a highly-disappointing 27th in scoring defense allowing 26.7 points per contest despite having all but one returning starter from last year’s playoff team.
Head coach Wade Phillips, who doubles as Dallas’ defensive coordinator, is under heavy fire. The Cowboys have committed 11 or more penalties in a game three times this season and have a minus-five turnover ratio.
Jon Kitna didn’t play bad in his first start replacing Romo last week at home against Jacksonville. The 38-year-old completed 34-of-49 passes for 379 yards and a touchdown.
Jacksonville, though, took advantage of four interceptions to upset the Cowboys, 35-17, as 6 ½-point ‘dogs. Three of Kitna’s interceptions bounced off the hands of his receivers.
The Packers rank fourth in scoring defense giving up 17 points a game after posting the league’s first shutout last Sunday. Green Bay has come up with 24 sacks and 12 interceptions, both of which rank No. 3 in the league, despite a cluster injury problem at safety and linebacker.
The Cowboys haven’t received good play from their offense line. Phillips is hoping to get back injured guards Kyle Kosier and Montrae Holland. Felix Jones is the Cowboys’ leading ground-gainer. He has a combined 443 yards rushing and receiving yards. He hurt his ankle last week, but is expected to play.
Kitna has numerous excellent targets to throw to, including Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten. Austin ranks fourth in receiving yards with 641, but also is tied for the lead in dropped passes with six.
Dallas has covered in 13 of its last 17 games in November.
The home team has covered eight of the last nine times in the series. The favorite is 7-2 ATS in the series. The ‘over’ has cashed 15 of the past 22 times the Packers have been a home favorite.
Green Bay has a bye next week. The Cowboys play at the New York Giants next Sunday.
A clear night is expected with temperatures in the low 40s and only a slight breeze.