Texans vs. Cowboys Prediction & Odds
The Houston Texans travel to Arlington to face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon when Week 14’s afternoon slate begins at 1:00 PM ET. Can the Cowboys cover the 17.5-point spread as home favorites?
The Houston Texans are 1-10-1 through their first 12 games of 2022. Their only win came against the Jaguars and they tied the Colts. Their worst losses came against the Bears and the Broncos. The Texans are 4-7-1 ATS this season. The Dallas Cowboys are 9-3 on the year. Their best wins came against the Vikings and the Bengals. Their worst losses came against the Packers and the Buccaneers. The Cowboys are 8-4 ATS this season.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
117 Houston Texans (+17.5) at 118 Dallas Cowboys (-17.5); O/U 44
1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2022
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Texans vs. Cowboys Public Betting Information
Our NFL Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Cowboys in this game. According to our numbers, 55% of public bets are on Dallas -17.5. Please note that this information is subject to change all the way up to kickoff, so be sure to check the link before you pick so you’re receiving the most accurate and up-to-date public betting data.
Houston Texans DFS Spin
Texans’ #1 wide receiver Brandin Cooks missed last week’s game against the Browns with a calf injury and he’s officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Houston’s #2 wide receiver Nico Collins has also been ruled out for Sunday’s game with a foot injury. The absence of Cooks and Collins should mean more targets for wide receivers Phillip Dorsett and Chris Moore as well as tight ends Jordan Akins and Brevin Jordan. Of those four, I think Jordan Akins is the best option because he’s been the most consistent pass catcher other than Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins for Houston this year.
Kyle Allen has started at QB for Houston the past two games and the Texans would do well to run the ball and take some of the pressure off of him. They will likely try to do that with rookie running back Dameon Pierce against a Cowboys defense that ranks 23rd in the NFL in opponent yards per rushing attempt. Pierce has recorded 861 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards per carry this season. He should see 12+ touches in this game on Sunday.
Dallas Cowboys DFS Spin
Dallas running back Tony Pollard continues to impress this season. In last week’s 54-19 win over Indianapolis, Pollard racked up 91 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on only 12 carries. For the season, Pollard is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and 10.4 yards per catch. He’s recorded 10 total touchdowns in 12 games for Dallas this year. Pollard will be facing a Texans defense that ranks 27th in opponent yards per rushing attempt, so he can be safely inserted into DFS lineups this weekend.
If you need a cost-effective option at tight end, consider the Cowboys’ Dalton Schultz. Schultz has been targeted at least 4 times in each of his last 6 games and he’s caught 3 touchdowns in his previous 4 games. Dallas may not elect to air it out down the field as much against an inferior opponent like Houston, and they may elect to throw shorter passes to the running backs and tight ends like Tony Pollard and Dalton Schultz, increasing both of their value this weekend.
Texans vs. Cowboys Betting Trends
Houston is 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games after gaining fewer than 90 rushing yards in their previous game.
Dallas is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring over 30 points in their previous game.
The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings between Houston and Dallas.
The under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between Houston and Dallas.
Texans vs. Cowboys Prediction:
This pick might seem simple. Dallas leads the NFL with an average scoring margin of +10.6, and Houston has only one win in twelve games played. But it’s not that simple. Houston may have a record of 1-10-1, but they’ve only lost one game by more than 17 points all season, a 38-20 clash with the Raiders in Week 7. While the Cowboys do have 4 blowout wins by 18 points or more, I think Houston is able to make this an ugly, slugfest of a game. The under is 8-4 in Houston’s games this year, and if that trend holds, I could see them covering this game. I don’t think Houston wins this game, but I think they will find a way to cover the massive number against Dallas this weekend.
NFL WEEK 14 PREDICTION: HOUSTON TEXANS +17.5
