Are oddsmakers bailing on the Cowboys after a rough start?

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Every Monday, we'll analyze key storylines from the previous week and how they impact bettors and markets moving forward.

Are the Cowboys in trouble?

Walking back to the locker room after the Cowboys lost their second straight home game and fell to 1-2, Dak Prescott had a message for any detractors: "Jump off if you want," referring to the Cowboys' usually crowded bandwagon.

Dallas opened the season with the third-best odds to win the NFC at +700, trailing only the 49ers and Lions. After three weeks, those odds have lengthened to +1100, and the Eagles, Packers, and Vikings have leaped ahead of Dallas on the oddsboard. The betting market gave the team a 70% chance of making the playoffs in the preseason. That's now down to 53%.

After signing Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to long-term extensions, the Cowboys were a +115 favorite to win the NFC East. They're now +260, and the Eagles are the new favorite at -225. Dallas' Super Bowl odds also lengthened from +1600 to +2000.

The Cowboys' issues are defensive ones. They've allowed the NFL's most rushing yards and third-most points despite preseason praise calling their unit one of the league's best. The porous defense is a huge reason Dallas is one of just two teams to have all three of its games go over the total.

The Cowboys' offense has been steady, totaling the league's fourth-most points, though it hasn't been a balanced effort. Dallas leads the NFL in passing yards but has the fourth-fewest rushing yards. Granted, that's largely because Prescott was forced to throw frequently while trailing in the last two games.

The team has the talent to turn the season around and climb back up the oddsboard. But it starts with the defense. The Cowboys play the lowly Giants next week before taking on the Steelers, Lions, 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, and Texans.

The Cowboys hype train will never run out of steam, but it might be worth taking Prescott's dare and jumping off.

Saquon's stock surging, Kelce's plummeting

Travis Kelce's celebrity has skyrocketed over the past year, but his on-field production has tanked. While the jokes about Kelce's off-field endeavors are plenty, the reality is that Kelce's age and mileage as an 11-year vet are catching up to him.

The 34-year-old still has a gravitational pull that creates openings for Chiefs receivers, and Mahomes likely still trusts him more than any other weapon. However, Kelce has been a non-factor in Kansas City's offense through three games, recording just eight catches for a total of fewer than 70 yards and no touchdowns. He's gone under his reception and yards prop every game.

While Kelce's stock plummets, Saquon Barkley's has surged with the Eagles.

Barkley leads the NFL in rushing yards and is the current Offensive Player of the Year favorite. His odds were +5000 to start the season but are now down to +400. The former Giant has been the only bright spot on the Eagles' often lifeless offense, scoring Philadelphia's only two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Saints.

Although Barkley's third-down drop cost the Eagles a Week 2 win against the Falcons, he's been worth every cent Philly gave him in free agency. Jalen Hurts must limit his turnovers for the Eagles' offense to reach its ceiling, but Barkley is Philly's most important piece.

Which surprising 3-0 teams do oddsmakers favor?

The Vikings, Steelers, and Seahawks are off to surprisingly fast starts as undefeated squads. Which of the three has the best chance to maintain momentum and outperform preseason expectations?

Minnesota's preseason win total was set at 6.5 and the team was given a 28% chance of making the playoffs. Sam Darnold, once relegated to a backup quarterback role in the NFL, is undergoing a career resurgence alongside offensive guru Kevin O'Connell. Darnold now has the second-best odds to win Comeback Player of the Year. The Vikings' defense, meanwhile, has allowed the second-fewest points and is propelling them to an undefeated start.

The Vikings' current win total is 10.5 and oddsmakers have altered their playoff chances to 68%. Minnesota has defeated the Giants, 49ers, and Texans after entering the season tied with the Bears for the worst odds to win the NFC North. The Vikings now have the second-best odds (+185) behind the Lions (+150).

The Seahawks have benefitted from an easy schedule to open the season. Their three wins came against the Broncos in Bo Nix's first career start, the Patriots, and the Tua Tagovailoa-less Dolphins. Seattle had an implied probability of 32% to make the playoffs before the season. It's now at 59%.

The Seahawks' preseason win total of 7.5 has been upgraded to 9.5 after three weeks, but they still trail the 1-2 49ers as favorites to win the NFC West.

Oddsmakers might have overreacted to the Seahawks' start. A challenging schedule is ahead, which could make betting on Seattle to miss the playoffs at +125 worth a look.

Finally, Mike Tomlin's groups always find a way to string together wins with a physically daunting defense and subpar offense. The Steelers have allowed the league's fewest yards per game and fewest total points, while Justin Fields has been good enough to keep his starting job.

Pittsburgh had a 36% preseason implied probability of making the playoffs, but that's since been boosted to 61%. Oddsmakers still give the Bengals and Ravens a better chance to win the AFC North than the Steelers, though. Pittsburgh is +250, while Cincinnati and Baltimore are +200 and +160, respectively. Still, that's remarkably shorter than the Steelers' +1300 preseason odds.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.