Week Five Sunday Night Football Pick: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans
Old Fashion Football Shootout in Texas on Sunday Night?
The Dallas Cowboys (2-2) and Houston Texans meet tonight for an 8:25 p.m. E.T. Sunday Night Football game. This Battle for Texas features one slinger, Houston QB Deshaun Watson, and another quarterback who could possibly be reaching new heights in passing, Dak Prescott. Although both teams have quite a few offensive weapons, the Cowboys have not utilized those weapons effectively. Houston has done well in putting points on the board, but their defense has been inadequate. Our 2018 NFL Dallas plays Houston totals pick has the over/under at 45.5.
How Many Points Scored
It is true that Dallas is averaging just 16.6 PPG. But in the last two contests, they have averaged 25.0 PPG. The Texans are averaging 24.0 PPG. The fewest number of points they’ve scored all season is 20. That was in their second contest. The other three games, they have averaged 30 points per game. We do think there’s the opportunity for these teams to combine for 48 or more points tonight.
Defensive Effectiveness
The Dallas D is holding opponents to 19 PPG, while the Texans are allowing 27 PPG. Despite the Cowboy’s low PA average, they do give up on average 230 passing yards per game. They’re playing a team that’s averaging more than 310 yards in the air. At the same time, the Texans are allowing opponents more than 400 yards per game and over 300 passing yards per game. We expect the ball to be flying around a lot tonight and we do think QBs will hit pay dirt quite a few times.
Might Dallas D Shutdown Houston?
The answer is “yes” the Cowboys could hold the Texans in check. But we expect that would result in about 20 points being scored by the home team. If the Cowboys, who are going up against a weak defense, perform as they have recently, they’ll tack on 28 or more points. If the Dallas D is unsuccessful, then the better for the over.
Our 2018 NFL Dallas Plays Houston Totals Pick
Our 2018 NFL Dallas plays Houston totals pick is over 45.5. We do think that the Cowboys will have their offense in gear. At the same time, we expect Houston to be very productive. We are looking for a shootout in Texas tonight. Check out our Houston props and Dallas props for tonight’s game.