FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys face the Houston Texans on the road at NRG Stadium for Sunday Night Football. Dallas has won three of the four total games played against Houston. In the four contests, Cowboys’ quarterbacks have compiled a 96.3 rating, the highest rating against a single opponent in team history. Dallas has rushed for over 100 yards in each game against the Texans.
Coming off the win against the Lions with season highs in stats for Prescott and Elliott, the key for the Cowboys will be keeping that offensive momentum going against Jadeveon Clowny and J.J. Watt’s pass rush and the Texan’s 3-4 defensive front. Watt has been plagued with injury the past three seasons, but when he is fully healthy he is a weapon. In 2015 he amassed 17.5 sacks, and in 2014 he had 20.5. Clowney is ranked as the No. 2 outside linebacker in the league for 2018. He had his first 16 game season last year recording 20-plus tackles for a loss and 20-plus quarterback hits in the same season. The dynamic duo of Dak and Zeke has their work cut out for them.
On the opposite side of the football, Dallas’ defense has to minimize Deshaun Watson’s passing efficiency in the pocket, as well as his mobility with his feet paired with Lamar Miller’s impact in the Texan’s running game. Miller has led the team in rushing in three of the four regular season games this season for the Texans with 225 total yards. The Cowboys need another high caliber performance by their power edge rusher, Demarcus Lawrence, like he had against the Lions last Sunday sacking Matt Stafford 3.0 times. He currently leads the league with 5.5.
“They are a really good zone running team, “ Jason Garrett stated. “ He is a really good zone running back (Miller). They do a lot of other things and challenge you in the running game. Their quarterback is such a threat as well, so that makes their back- that much more of a threat…those guys are very dynamic together. “
The Cowboys have faced several mobile quarterbacks including Cam Newton in week one and Russell Wilson in week three, but Watson presents a new challenge.
“ We have to defend the option, “ Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli remarked. “That makes you an assignment defense. They are a physical run team, so you have to make sure your technique and everything is ready for that. Once he has the ball in his hands, he is really special…he can break the width of the pocket. He is an excellent thrower. If he gets outside of the pocket- he hits it. If he is in the pocket- he can throw it. Heck of a ball player. “
