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The Dallas Cowboys looked awfully good in beating the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night, winning and covering the spread for the third week in a row. Dallas shoots for four in a row when it hosts the 3-1 Houston Texans for a Lone Star State battle Sunday afternoon in Arlington.
Point spread: Cowboys opened as 4-point favorites; the total was 46. (Line updates and matchup report)
Odds Shark computer prediction: 25.2-18.3 Cowboys
Why the Texans can cover the spread
The Texans are also 3-1 ATS, following a 23-17 victory over Buffalo last week. Houston was outrushed by the Bills 96-37, but received a decent performance from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, an 80-yard interception return for a score from All-Universe defensive end J.J. Watt and two 50-plus-yard field goals from Randy Bullock, the second of which, with five minutes to go, gave the Texans the cover as three-point favorites.
The victory also served as a much-needed emotional rebound, after a poor performance in a loss to the Giants the previous week. Running back Arian Foster gained only six yards last week, but his hamstring is improving, which should make life easier for Fitzpatrick.
Why the Cowboys can cover the spread
The Cowboys may have finally figured out that feeding DeMarco Murray can lead to success. Murray carried 29 times in a victory at Tennessee, 24 times in a win at St. Louis and, last week, 24 times for 149 yards and two scores in the win over the Saints. Dallas has outrushed its last three opponents by an average of more than 70 yards per game, and leads the league in rushing at 165 yards per game. So far this NFL season, teams that have outrushed their opponents have gone 40-20-1 against the spread.
Smart Pick
The Cowboys have rebounded nicely after that season-opening loss to San Francisco, winning twice on the road, then blowing out New Orleans. But for whatever reason Dallas has found it difficult to perform under heightened expectations recently, going just 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games as a home favorite. And the letdown factor might be in play here. So the pick in this spot goes with Houston and the points.
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Note: All spread and odds data powered by Odds Shark. Follow us on Twitter for injury updates and line move updates.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
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Point spread: Cowboys opened as 4-point favorites; the total was 46. (Line updates and matchup report)
Odds Shark computer prediction: 25.2-18.3 Cowboys
Why the Texans can cover the spread
The Texans are also 3-1 ATS, following a 23-17 victory over Buffalo last week. Houston was outrushed by the Bills 96-37, but received a decent performance from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, an 80-yard interception return for a score from All-Universe defensive end J.J. Watt and two 50-plus-yard field goals from Randy Bullock, the second of which, with five minutes to go, gave the Texans the cover as three-point favorites.
The victory also served as a much-needed emotional rebound, after a poor performance in a loss to the Giants the previous week. Running back Arian Foster gained only six yards last week, but his hamstring is improving, which should make life easier for Fitzpatrick.
Why the Cowboys can cover the spread
The Cowboys may have finally figured out that feeding DeMarco Murray can lead to success. Murray carried 29 times in a victory at Tennessee, 24 times in a win at St. Louis and, last week, 24 times for 149 yards and two scores in the win over the Saints. Dallas has outrushed its last three opponents by an average of more than 70 yards per game, and leads the league in rushing at 165 yards per game. So far this NFL season, teams that have outrushed their opponents have gone 40-20-1 against the spread.
Smart Pick
The Cowboys have rebounded nicely after that season-opening loss to San Francisco, winning twice on the road, then blowing out New Orleans. But for whatever reason Dallas has found it difficult to perform under heightened expectations recently, going just 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games as a home favorite. And the letdown factor might be in play here. So the pick in this spot goes with Houston and the points.
Trends
- The total has gone UNDER in five of Houston's last seven games
- Dallas is 2-4 ATS in its last six games at home
Note: All spread and odds data powered by Odds Shark. Follow us on Twitter for injury updates and line move updates.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...