NFL Week 3: Five Reasons the Dallas Cowboys Will Take Down the Houston Texans

The Dallas Cowboys are still searching for their first win of the season when they run into the undefeated Houston Texans this week. The latest line posted by BetMania has the Texans as three-point favorites with the over/under set at 47.5.

These teams are two of the biggest surprises of the season. The Texans are undefeated on the season and on pace to finally make a playoff appearance for the first time in franchise history. On the other hand, the Cowboys, who were predicted by most to go to the Super bowl, have yet to win a game.

This is the week for the Cowboys to get their first win of the season, and here are five reasons why.

Desperation

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 02: Tight end Jason Witten #82 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 2, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The panic button has been pushed in Big D and desperate times call for desperate measures.

The Cowboys are one of the most scrutinized team in the NFL. The media, fans, and ownership expect nothing but championships every year. With the slow start, the Cowboys need to prove they are still to be considered a contender for the Super Bowl.

This week, the team held a players-only meeting to discuss some issues and the results will show this week.

Tight end Jason Witten said it best: “Our backs are to the wall. We know that. But I know that, to a man, we believe we’re not that far off. We’ve made mistakes that have killed us the first two games. But they are mistakes we can fix. Mistakes we will fix.”

The Cowboys Can Erase Mistakes

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Kicker David Buehler #18 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Cowboys have basically given away their victories this season. In Week 1 in Washington, a holding penalty was the only thing between the Cowboys and a win. In Week 2 against the Bears, it was missed field goals, turnovers, and mental breakdowns.

They have 18 penalties on the year and are minus-four in turnover ratio. Those numbers will not last with a team this good, and with an emphasis on getting a win, these numbers will start to change for the better.

Those errors can be fixed, and overall, the Cowboys have looked decent on both sides of the ball.

Trends

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Cowboys are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game, and this leads me to believe that after a poor defensive effort, they can adjust accordingly to fix their errors that they made in the last game.

The Texans are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a win against the spread. This is a line situation in which the sportbooks adjust based on a weekly win. Just like in Week 1 with the big win over the Colts, the line has been adjusted with the 2-0 start, and the Texans will not cover this number at home.

Weak Spot in Houston

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HOUSTON - AUGUST 28: Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree #85 of the Dallas Cowboys his tackled by cornerback Sherrick McManis #22 of the Houston Texans as he scores in the fourth quarter at Reliant Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Houston won 23-7.

The Texans’ defense ranks second-to-last in total yards allowed and the glaring weakness is through the air. In the two wins that they've had, they have allowed each quarterback to pass for over 400 yards, and this is good news for Tony Romo and the Dallas offense.

The defense ranks near the bottom in several key categories, and that will aid Dallas in fixing some of their mistakes.

This is enough reason to switch over from backing Houston in this game to taking the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Is Not That Bad

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HOUSTON - AUGUST 28: Running back Tashard Choice #23 of the Dallas Cowboys cuts back on cornerback Sherrick McManis #22 of the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

From a numbers standpoint, Dallas is not that bad. Tony Romo and the offense rank fourth in the NFL in total yards, and average almost 400 yards per game.

The defense is ranked 10th in total yards, and are excellent on stopping the opposition on third down conversions.

Rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant returned a punt for a touchdown, and is making opponents think twice before kicking the ball to him.

The Cowboys will swell the worry growing in Dallas and finally get a win in Week 3 over the Houston Texans.

The Cowboys have put up big numbers on offense but stumble getting into the end zone, mainly due to self-inflicted mistakes.

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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at [e-mail]