Last week when I dropped the official NFL notes on the Cowboys vs. Bears game on this site, I wrote something about how the Cowboys couldn't start the season 0-2. No way, just wasn't happening. Well, so much for that mess. Now, I'm reduced to saying the Cowboys are playing a MUST WIN game, just three games into the season. Going 0-3 in the NFL is pretty close to a death-knell for any playoff aspiration.
It won't be easy getting that first win of the season. The Texans look like a vastly improved team, and that's on top of last year's team which finished 9-7 for their best season in franchise history. The Texans are coached by Gary Kubiak, and he comes out of the Mike Shanahan system, so you can expect some similar things to the Redskins offense. The difference being, the Texans have Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. Those guys are top of the class players at their positions. Now, they've added rookie RB sensation Arian Foster. The Cowboys better tighten up their bootstraps and get their act together, one more week like the last two, and this franchise is in deep, deep trouble.
Want to catch up on the Texans? Visit SB Nation's excellent Texans blog, Battle Red Blog.
Notes after the jump...
DALLAS COWBOYS (0-2) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (2-0)
SERIES
|
|
COWBOYS |
TEXANS |
|
SERIES LEADER |
Series tied, 1-1 |
|
|
STREAKS |
1-1 |
|
|
COACHES VS. OPP. |
Phillips: 0-0 |
Kubiak: 0-1 |
|
LAST WEEK |
L 27-20 vs. Bears |
W 30-27 at Redskins (OT) |
|
LAST GAME |
10/15/06: Texans 6 at Cowboys 34. Dallas WR Terrell Owens has 3 2nd-half TD catches & Cowboys’ defense forces 3 turnovers, resulting in 17 points. |
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LAST GAME AT SITE |
9/8/02: Texans 19, Cowboys 10. Houston QB David Carr passes for 2 TDs as Texans win 1st game in franchise history. |
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BROADCAST |
FOX (12:00 PM CT): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 127 (Dal.), 154 (Hou.). XM: 104 (Dal.). |
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STATS
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PASSING |
Romo: 65-98-656 (1C)-2-2-83.5 |
Schaub: 47-69-604 (3C)-4-2-102.6 |
|
RUSHING |
Barber: 19-70-3.7-0 |
Foster: 52-300 (1L)-5.8-3 (1C) |
|
RECEIVING |
Austin: 20 (T1L)-288 (1L)-14.4-1 |
A. Johnson: 15 (T3C)-191 (3C)-12.7-1 |
|
OFFENSE |
395.0 (1C) |
440.5 (1L) |
|
TAKE/GIVE |
-4 |
-1 |
|
DEFENSE |
279.0 |
442.0 |
|
SACKS |
Spencer, Ware: 1 |
M. Williams: 4 (1C) |
|
INTs |
--- |
--- |
|
PUNTING |
McBriar: 41.2 |
Turk: 42.4 |
|
KICKING |
Buehler: 9 (3/3 PAT; 2/4 FG) |
Rackers: 22 (T1L) (7/7 PAT; 5/6 FG) |
NOTES
COWBOYS: QB TONY ROMO recorded 1st career att., comp. & TD vs. Hou. (10/15/06). Aims for 4th in row vs. AFC with 100+ rating. In past 3 vs. AFC, has completed 57 of 93 (61.3 pct.) for 909 yards with 6 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 115.4 rating. Incl. playoffs, Cowboys are 27-5 (.844) when Romo starts & has 100+ rating…RB MARION BARBER rushed for TD in only meeting. Incl. playoffs, RB FELIX JONES has 8 career TDs (7 rush, 1 KR) & averages 47.1 yards per TD (377 yards). Has TD in 3 of 4 games vs. AFC & averages 7.9 yards per rush in those 4…WR MILES AUSTIN is 4th player in NFL history with 10+ catches in each of 1st 2 games to start season. Has 23 catches for 466 yards (155.3 per game) & 4 TDs in past 3 vs. AFC. TE JASON WITTEN (6,043) became 9th TE in NFL history with 6,000 rec. yards. WR-PR DEZ BRYANT had 62-yard PR-TD last week, 5th rookie in club history with PR-TD…LB DE MARCUS WARE has 10.5 sacks in past 13 vs. AFC & has sack in 9 of those 13. Has 57.5 sacks since 2006, most in NFL. Cowboys have won 9 of past 10 when CB TERENCE NEWMAN has INT…
TEXANS: Club aims for 1st 3-0 start in franchise history…Hou. has posted 10-7 record against NFC under head coach GARY KUBIAK & aims for 5th straight interconference win…Texans have won 6 consecutive games, longest win streak in franchise history…Since ’07 vs. NFC at home, QB MATT SCHAUB has 5-0 record & has completed 123 of 169 passes (72.8 pct.) for 1,517 yards w/10 TDs vs. 1 INT & 117.4 passer rating. Schaub had career-high & franchise record 497 passing yards last week…In 1st 3 career starts, RB ARIAN FOSTER has 419 rush yards, 5th-most of any player since 1970. Foster totaled 138 yards last week (69 rush, 69 receiving)…WR ANDRE JOHNSON averages 113.8 receiving yards per game at home vs. NFC (1,580 total in 14 games). WR KEVIN WALTER aims for 3rd consecutive game w/TD reception. WR JACOBY JONES posted 1st TD rec. of ’10 last week & 7th career…DE MARIO WILLIAMS recorded 3 sacks last week. Williams aims for 4th consecutive game w/sack.