Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys: Complete Week 5 Preview for Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys (3-1) hope to continue their winning ways as they face off against the Houston Texans (3-1) Sunday at AT&T Stadium. A Cowboys win would put them at 4-1 and in prime position to make a midseason run.
Last week, the Cowboys surprised many by dominating the New Orleans Saints in a 38-17 victory. The Cowboys did a fantastic job of controlling the clock, running the ball and making timely passes. The defense was opportunistic and kept the Saints' high-powered offense mostly in check.
The Texans are coming off a hard-fought 23-17 win over the Buffalo Bills. This game was taken over by J.J. Watt, as he accounted for an interception, five tackles and nine hits on the quarterback. Watt is proving why he is the best defensive player in football, and it's not even close.
The Cowboys are coming into this game with nearly a clean bill of health, as Bruce Carter is the only contributor who is expected to miss this game.
Before the season, this game appeared to be between two mediocre teams; however, now it will be two 3-1 teams pitted against each other.
Read on for some news and notes, injury information and players to watch on Sunday.
Cowboys Week 4 Recap
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The Dallas Cowboys put forth their best effort of the season as they trounced the New Orleans Saints in a 38-17 win.
The Cowboys dominated in the trenches on offense and defense. The offensive line, led by left tackle Tyron Smith, opened giant holes for DeMarco Murray and gave Tony Romo a great pocket to work with.
This was the second time in as many weeks that Smith shut down a very good defensive end. At the moment, Smith is playing as well as anyone else in the NFL.
The defense was very opportunistic and utilized the bend-but-don't-break mantra to a tee. The offense did a great job of imposing its will, and the defense was incredible for most of the night.
Tyrone Crawford put forth a solid effort for the Cowboys defensive line, as he did a fantastic job collapsing the pocket against the pass and setting the edge in the run game.
Terrance Williams did a great job of running sound routes and made a few nice catches. He may be working himself into being featured heavily in the offense going forward.
Dan Bailey was once again perfect, as he drilled a 51-yard field goal for the Cowboys. The special teams unit is proving to be one of the best in the league.
The Cowboys now move from playing a prolific offense to a team with a mediocre at best offense.
News and Notes
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Legal Trouble in Dallas
Cowboys' C.J. Spillman is being investigated in connection to an alleged sexual assault, per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer and Calvin Watkins.
It is important to note that no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. This is just an investigation to this point. The main question that popped into many people's minds was if the Cowboys were going to release Spillman because of the new climate in the NFL.
However, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said that Spillman would remain on the team, and the team would revisit the issue if an arrest was made, per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer.
It would be troubling if the NFL got to a place where it was punishing players just based on accusations alone. It is important that the league let the legal process run its course before any discipline is put forth.
Can DeMarco Murray Reach 2,000 Yards?
At the moment, DeMarco Murray is on pace to rush for 2,136 yards this season. Through four games, he has ran for a league-leading 534 yards, which is 156 yards more than the next closest player.
So can Murray reach the lofty 2,000-yard mark? Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon thinks it's certainly a possibility: "So can Murray make a run at history this season? Holding up with that schedule and that injury history won't be easy, but almost every other factor at play is working to his advantage. So if he's flirting with the record books come December, don't be surprised."
It will be extremely difficult for him to keep up his current pace, especially as he faces better defenses throughout the year. Murray runs behind a fantastic offensive line, and that is a great deal of the battle. However, it is much more likely that Murray comes back to earth for at least a couple of games as he barely misses the 2,000-yard mark.
Josh Brent Returns to the Cowboys Facility
Josh Brent made his return to the Cowboys facility this week for the first time since December 2012, when he was involved in a tragic drunk-driving accident that resulted in the death of his teammate and friend, Jerry Brown Jr.
Brent is still serving his 10-game suspension, but he was granted the ability to return to the Cowboys' practice facility this week, per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer.
When Brent returns to the Cowboys, he will likely be plugged into the 1-technique defensive tackle position. Brent has the necessary strength and girth to hold up well against the constant double-teams that the 1-technique faces.
Despite inevitable questions about his return to the NFL, he definitely has the ability to be a big help to the Cowboys defensive line.
Injury Report
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| Dez Bryant (shoulder) | WR | Probable |
| Tony Romo (back) | QB | Probable |
| Bruce Carter (thigh) | LB | Out |
| Anthony Spencer (knee) | DE | Probable |
| Henry Melton (hamstring) | DT | Probable |
| Rolando McClain (groin) | LB | Probable |
All injury information comes from the Cowboys' official team website.
The only player likely out for the Cowboys is "Sam" linebacker Bruce Carter. Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber will likely replace him at SLB against the Texans. Neither player has the playmaking ability of Carter, but both should be able to do an adequate job against the average Texans offense.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Doug Free vs. J.J. Watt
J.J. Watt is the best defensive player in the NFL; it's as simple as that. Doug Free will have the almost impossible task of blocking Watt for most of the game Sunday. Watt lines up all over the defensive line, but he will likely line up against Free for a large majority of the game.
Watt is so good at using his length, strength and technique to dominate opposing offenses and wreak havoc in the backfield.
Free will have to play the game of his life if he wants even a chance of slowing down Watt. The good news for Free is that he will likely get a ton of help against Watt. Expect the Cowboys to try and double-team or chip Watt on nearly every play.
Watt is one of the only players who can win a game by himself on defense. It will be up to Free, with the help of others, to make sure he doesn't do that.
Dez Bryant vs. Johnathan Joseph
The Texans bring a great deal of blitzes on defense, which means that they leave their corners in man coverage for a large amount of time.
This means that Dez Bryant will line up across from Johnathan Joseph for much of the game.
Joseph thrives in man coverage and does a great job being physical at the line of scrimmage and blanketing receivers as they run their routes. Also, if a quarterback makes any mistakes, Joseph has the ball skills to make him pay.
Bryant is the type of receiver who is almost impossible to cover one-on-one. His physicality, ball skills and athleticism make him a nightmare for opposing defensive backs. Bryant doesn't have to technically be "open" to be in a favorable position to make plays.
It will be up to Bryant to make the Texans pay for leaving him in any one-on-one situations.
Cowboys' X-Factor of the Week: Tyrone Crawford
Through the first four weeks of the season, Tyrone Crawford has been the best defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. He has done a fantastic job getting pressure from the defensive end and tackle spots. He also does a great job setting the edge in the running game.
Crawford leads the team with 10 quarterback hurries, but he has yet to notch a sack. Crawford has not shown the closing speed necessary to finish those plays as of yet.
However, Crawford should have a chance to do just that this Sunday. He will line up at the 3-technique defensive tackle or "under tackle" position for much of the game Sunday. This will match him up with Texans guard Ben Jones for much of the day. Crawford's strength should give Jones a ton of problems.
This should be the week that Crawford finally gets his first sack of the season. If the Cowboys defense shuts down the Texans offense, Crawford will be one of the biggest reasons why.
Prediction
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The Cowboys have all the advantages in this game outside of the defensive line. They have the better quarterback and weapons on offense, along with a defense that should be able to handle the porous Texans offense.
The only way the Cowboys can lose this game is if they allow J.J. Watt to take over the game, much like he did last week against the Buffalo Bills. If the Cowboys can scheme around Watt and mitigate his effectiveness, there is no reason they shouldn't win this game easily.
The Texans offense has a poor offensive line along with below-average quarterback play. The Cowboys defense should be able to force a couple turnovers from Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Texans' biggest weapon on offense is DeAndre Hopkins, and the Cowboys corners must do a good job covering him because he has the ability to take over a game.
Overall, the Cowboys just seem like they are the better team with a more effective game plan. Look for the Cowboys to do anything they can to slow down Watt and get a comfortable win at home.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Texans 10
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