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Dallas Cowboys scouting report Week Four: Houston Texans

By Matt Holleran

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 08: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown with head coach Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter of a football game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 08: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown with head coach Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter of a football game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

DEFENSE

Coming into the season the Houston Texans defense was thought of to be one of the best in the league, and things have just not gone that way so far this year. The team ranks 21st in points allowed per game at 27, 22nd in yards allowed per game at 382.2, and 27th in passing yards and 9th in rushing yards allowed per game.

The run defense has been good, and that is to be expected when you have J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney on your defensive line. Watt has been up to his All-Pro self to start this season, already recording five sacks and four forced fumbles. Clowney also checks in with two sacks, and the team has recorded 11 on the year, a very solid number.

The leading tackler of the defense is the second-year linebacker, Zach Cunningham with 28 total tackles, and some notable players to watch in the secondary are veterans Jonathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson, and newly acquired safety Tyrann Mathieu.

The Texans are one of only five teams in the NFL with just one interception recorded on the season, so the defense is not taking the ball away like we are used to seeing. Running against the Texans will be tough with them having such a strong defensive line, so this game will be mostly in the hands of quarterback Dak Prescott.

If Prescott is given time, the Texans defense has shown that it is clearly beatable, and teams can move the football on them. The key factor is time. If J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney are bursting into the backfield every play, it could be a long day for the Dallas offense. The biggest matchup against the Texans defense will be how can the Dallas offensive line hold up against the stars on the Texans line.

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