- Dallas Cowboys
2013 record: 8-8 SU, 9-7 ATS, 9-7 O/U
2013 defense: 27.0 points per game, 26th
2014 regular-season win total at LVH: 8 (OVER -165)
Coordinator Rod Marinelli can coach, but even he needs players. This unit is bereft. The Cowboys gave up the third-most yards in NFL history last year (6,645) and, if anything, got worse. LB Sean Lee is done for the year with a torn ACL, and DE Demarcus Lawrence will be out 8-10 weeks with a broken foot. Not to mention, top pass rushers Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware moved on. Dallas is counting on guys coming back from major injuries (DLs Anthony Spencer, Henry Melton) and rookie LB Anthony Hitchens. This team will be involved in shootouts nearly every week.
- Washington Redskins
2013 record: 3-13 SU, 5-11 ATS, 8-8 O/U
2013 defense: 29.9 points per game, tied for 30th
2014 regular-season win total at LVH: 7.5 (OVER -120)
This defense could start five players over 30. That’s ancient in today’s NFL. The pass rush isn’t bad with Jason Hatcher joining Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, but it will have to be dominant to overcome a bad secondary. New safety Ryan Clark turns 35 in October. Holdover safety Brandon Meriweather is a cheap-shot artist. Corner DeAngelo Hall turns 31 in November. Young corner David Amerson better show significant improvement.
- Buffalo Bills
2013 record: 6-10 SU, 8-8 ATS, 10-6 O/U
2013 defense: 24.3 points per game, 20th
2014 regular-season win total at LVH: 6.5 (OVER -160)
At safety there’s a big drop off from Jairus Byrd to Da’Norris Searcy. And Buffalo looked lost without Byrd in the lineup last year. Top LB Kiko Alonso is out for the year with a torn ACL, and DT Marcell Dareus is looking at a one- or two-game suspension. There’s still a lot of talent here, led by DE Mario Williams and DT Kyle Williams, but the linebacking corps is in tatters and the front office didn’t address defense until the draft’s third round.
Read the rest of this article, and the full series, from The Linemakers on Sporting News.
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