Cowboys vs Texans: Five Situations To Watch in the Battle for Texas

Sunday's contest pitting the hot-handed Houston Texans against the ice-cold Dallas Cowboys could not be scripted in a more polarizing manner.

After reeling off an impressive season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Texans strung together a momentous comeback victory over a tough NFC East opponent in the Washington Redskins.

Conversely, the Cowboys are 0-2 after a hugely disappointing loss to the Redskins and perhaps an even more shameful defeat to the Chicago Bears.

The panic button for the 'Boys is beginning to heat up, while the Texans continue down a road hardly traveled by this organization.

Another win for the Texans will have the city of Houston going berserk, while a third straight loss to an in-state expansion team may have Dallas fans pulling out their hair.

It sets up for a great show in H-town. 

Points on the Board

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LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 19: Matt Schaub #8 of the Houston Texans passes during the game against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on September 19, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. The Texans defeated the Redskins in overtime 30-27. (Photo by Larry French

Explosive offenses may take flight and stay airborne for the entire game on Sunday.

Everyone knows about Arian Foster, and after rushing for a franchise-record 231 yards in Week 1, the undrafted tailback went for just 69 yards in Week 2. How will a Dallas defense ranked seventh against the run fare in Week 3?

Apart from the Cowboys' three-headed rushing attack, the passing game may be what scores the bulk of Dallas' points at Reliant. Houston's pass defense is a smug 32nd in the league, giving up 411 yards per game in the air.

The Texans' pass offense is not too shabby, either.

Matt Schaub was three yards shy of a 500-yard day in the win over Washington, and he has plenty of talent around the field to sling the ball to.

If the stats do not lie, we may be in for an old-fashioned Texas shootout.

An Anemic Three-Headed Monster

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OXNARD, CA - AUGUST 14: (L-R) Running backs Felix Jones #28, Marion Barber #24 and Tashard Choice #23 share a laugh during Dallas Cowboys Training Camp at the Marriott Residence Inn Oxnard River Ridge on August 14, 2010 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by

Despite the talent of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice in Dallas' backfield, the Cowboys have yet to make a splash in the running game, ranking 28th in the league and averaging just under 70 yards a game on the ground.

The impressive group at wideout and a healthy Jason Witten give Tony Romo all that he needs to succeed in the passing game, even with a poor ground game.

Establishing that balance on the ground may be something Jason Garrett will look to improve this week, though doing so against the league's second-ranked rush defense may prove to be quite the task.

The trio of tailbacks averages just 3.3 yards per carry, and none have run for a gain of more than 12 yards.

One-dimensional offenses are known to be exploited at the top level in football, but can Romo and his receivers reel off a win and begin to turn the season around?

Finding the End Zone

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 02: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys on the sidelines during a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at Cowboys Stadium on September 2, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Jason Garrett, Tony Romo, and the Cowboys' offense were anything but great in the first two games of the season, finding the end zone just twice.

Despite racking up over 400 yards against Chicago, Dallas finished just a single drive with a score.

The passing game may come relatively easy against a very poor Houston secondary, but can the Cowboys' offense develop enough rhythm to get multiple looks in the red zone, and can they finish?

Andre Johnson

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HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Wide receiver Andre Johnson #80 of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Despite a hobbling ankle injury against the Redskins, Houston's star WR Johnson led all receivers with 12 receptions for 158 yards and a score.

Against a solid Redskins' run defense, the Texans managed only 85 yards on the ground, allowing Matt Schaub to throw the ball 52 times for 497 yards.

Any lasting effects of Johnson's injury are supposed to be minimal, but his presence will be felt whether he is in the game or not. Shutting down the University of Miami product will be of utmost importance if the Cowboys want to have a fighting chance.

Johnson had just three catches for 33 yards in Week 1 before his explosion in Week 2.

The Playmakers

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NEW ORLEANS - AUGUST 21: Mario Williams #90 of the Houston Texans in action during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on August 21, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

For the Cowboys, Miles Austin has been a rock of offensive production. But what of the rookie Dez Bryant? A dazzling punt return last week displayed his talents but will only draw more attention to him.

For the Texans, Andre Johnson commands so much respect from defenders that many forget where Kevin Walter is. And who else can provide the big splash that Houston may need if Arian Foster gets shut down for the second week in a row?

Defensively, the stars of this Texas showdown may be the two defensive ends, Mario Williams and DeMarcus Ware. Disrupting the passing game for both teams will be critical to the defensive game plans.