Cowboys vs Texans Week 14: history, key players, projection

Cowboys vs Texans: “Under the Radar” Players

Dallas Cowboys: Dorance Armstrong, DE

It is a bit of a rarity that eight sacks on the season through just 12 games can be accomplished in silence, but so is life when Micah Parsons is on the defense and rushing the passer. Dorance Armstrong is having a phenomenal year so far and is bolstering a defensive line already packed with talent.

Toss in another eight tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks and you can see why Armstrong has contributed to this unit in myriad ways. This Sunday feels ripe for him to make some noise. The Texans have given up 33 sacks on the season, a total in the top-quarter of the league, while the Cowboys have accrued 48 sacks.

With the attention going to Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence in an effort to stop them from wrecking things, Armstrong should get some favorable matchups.

Another name to watch is rookie Sam Williams, who just continues to improve and find himself in the middle of big plays each week. Either way, the Dallas defensive front could see another huge game.

Houston Texans: Christian Kirksey, MLB

The Texans are abysmal in slowing down any run game this season. They are giving up 169.1 yards per game, and that is the last thing you want when you have Zeke and Pollard staring you down after a game where they combined for 168 yards and three scores.

The man tasked with slowing this down is Texans middle linebacker and former Iowa Hawkeye Christian Kirksey. He has 86 tackles on the year, which leads Houston’s linebackers. He will have to meet the Cowboys’ backs in the hole to have any hope of forcing passing downs.