Everything’s bigger in Texas, and that includes the preseason matchup between the Lone Star State’s two NFL teams. Last year’s preseason Governor’s Cup matchup was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey, but the clubs are making up for it this season. Not only will the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans play in Week 4 of the preseason, they will also get together during the regular year with both games taking place in Houston. This will be the first meeting at NRG Stadium since 2010.
This preseason Week 4 battle will go down Thursday, August 30, 2018, at 8 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium.
NFL Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys +4
Houston Texans -4
Over/Under 33.5
Odds Analysis
This matchup has a little added incentive, at least until the teams hookup during the regular season. We typically don’t see lines this high in the preseason, but the Texans are getting a lot of early play after Dallas’ meltdown last week. I could see this coming down as we get closer to kickoff. The total hit the board at a very low 33.5.
Quarterback Rotation
Dallas’ offense is a mess right now with linemen out injured and a receiving corps that’s looking for an identity. And it hasn’t helped that the backup QBs are struggling. Or maybe that’s why they’re struggling. Either way the Boys have to figure it out. Things will be much different when the regular season rolls around and Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are lined up in the backfield, but there’s one more exhibition game before the bell rings.
Cooper Rush earned the backup job with a marvelous preseason last year, but he’s been unable to build off that, causing concern in Cowboys camp. Rush was thrown to the wolves last week, getting the start because Jason Garrett didn’t want Dak playing behind a patched up line. He was 11 of 17 for 93 yards, but he tossed a pair of interception, including a pick-six. Mike White played the second half and didn’t do much better. He was 17 of 22 for 157 yards with a pick and four sacks. The Cowboys are expected to employ the same rotation on Thursday.
His last outing wasn’t his best, but Deshaun Watson escaped without incident and is ready to open the regular season. We can expect to see both Brandon Weeden and Joe Webb in the final preseason game. Weeden is locked in as the primary backup and is having a strong preseason. He was 10 of 17 for 108 yards with a touchdown in last week’s loss to the Rams and he’s completed over 60 percent of his throws with a passer rating of 90.7.
Webb will likely take a majority of the snaps on Thursday and he has a chance to convince the coaching staff he’s worth keeping. He rallied the Texans last week by completing 7 of 10 for 93 yards and a touchdown in two drives. His scoring pass got the Texans within a point, but he was unable to convert the 2-point try. He then drove the team into Rams territory for a potential game-winning field goal that missed the mark.
Coaching History
Garrett hasn’t had much success during the preseason with his overall record falling to 12-20 SU and 12-19-1 ATS after last week’s loss. And playing on the road has been a disaster. The Cowboys have dropped 11 straight preseason road games while going 3-8 ATS in those contests.
Houston lost its first preseason game last week to fall to 2-1 SU and 1-1-1 ATS. Bill O’Brien owns a record of 11-7 SU and 10-7-1 ATS during his preseason career, but he’s 1-2 SU and ATS in the final week of exhibition games.
Free ATS Pick
I don’t anticipate the Cowboys turning the ball over eight times like they did last week and that should keep them in the game. I also expect them to be over the shock of learning that a teammate has an autoimmune disease that could threaten not only his career, but his life. The adjustments will be made, the line will play better and so will the quarterbacks.
But this is a rivalry and Houston has this inferiority complex that makes them really want to beat Dallas. It’s hard to pick a winner, but the Texans get the Boys at home for the first time in several years and as we all know, there is such thing as home field advantage.
NFL Betting Odds: Texans 23, Cowboys 18
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