Cowboys-Packers difficult to discern

A gambler in the way he plays the game, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has a reckless style that reminds almost everyone of another NFL star who has excelled at the position for a lot longer.

The similarities between Romo and the Green Bay Packers' Brett Favre are obvious, and their teams own identical 10-1 records. The first meeting of Romo and Favre today in Dallas is not an easy betting decision.

The Cowboys are 7-point favorites, with a total of 511/2, and Wynn Las Vegas sports book director John Avello said sharp money moved the point spread off the opening number of 61/2.

"I don't know if that 7 is going to hold up or not. We did get pushed there by the sophisticated players," Avello said.

"There has been a lot of support for the Packers this year. The 6 or 61/2 is probably the right number, and that's because the Cowboys' home-field advantage is about 4, and on our power ratings, they are about 2 to 21/2 points stronger than the Packers."

Favre and the Packers have won 14 of their past 15 games, including seven straight road wins. Green Bay, 9-1-1 against the spread, suffered its only loss 27-20 to Chicago on Oct. 7.

Romo and the Cowboys are tough to bet against. Dallas, 8-3 against the spread, is No. 2 in the league in scoring (32.5 points per game) and total offense (388.8 yards per game).

Injuries are a negative factor for the Packers today, as cornerback Charles Woodson (right big toe) and defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (sprained right ankle and knee) might not play.

The Las Vegas Hilton has posted 10 proposition bets, including Favre's total passing yards (314) and Romo's completions (211/2).

In the NFL's previous three games this season that matched Super Bowl contenders and attracted playoff-type hype, the favorite went 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread:

• Before they were exposed as phonies, the San Diego Chargers went to New England on Sept. 16 for an AFC showdown. The Patriots, 31/2-point favorites, won a laugher, 38-14.

• The Patriots visited Dallas on Oct. 14 and easily covered again as 51/2-point favorites in a 48-27 victory.

• New England defeated Indianapolis 24-20 on Nov. 4, but the Patriots failed to cover as 5-point road favorites.

This is the first big-time game that does not include the undefeated Patriots. Dallas and Green Bay are fighting for supremacy in the NFC.

The Wynn's futures line on the Super Bowl has the AFC as a 15-point favorite over the NFC -- assuming a New England-Dallas matchup. Avello said the line would be about 17 or 18 if it's the Patriots against the Packers.