Houston @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2013 ) Houston 24, Dallas 6

Dallas eliminated its turnovers last week and played a nearly perfect game in a 38-17 demolition of New Orleans. In a battle of unlikely 3-1 teams on Sunday, the host Cowboys will need to do the same in their intrastate matchup with J.J. Watt and the much-improved Houston Texans. The Cowboys have the league's top running game, a hot quarterback and an improved defense, but the Texans have forced the league's most turnovers (nine - two shy of 2013 total), are best at getting off the field on third downs (71.4 percent) and have already won more games this year than last.

Led by an offensive line that features three first-round picks selected over the last four seasons, the Cowboys are off to their first 3-1 start since 2008. DeMarco Murray, who leads the NFL in rushing with 534 yards, cut out the costly first-quarter fumble last week that plagued the Cowboys in the first three games. Watt had a career-high nine quarterback hits in last week's 23-17 victory against Buffalo - more than the entire NFL had over the first three weeks of the season - and spearheads a defense that has surrendered the sixth fewest points and ranks second in red zone touchdown efficiency (42.9 percent).

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS: Line: Cowboys -6. O/U: 46.5

ABOUT THE TEXANS (3-1): Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown fewer passes than any starter in the NFL, but Houston's run game managed just 12 yards on 15 first-down carries last week. A banged-up Arian Foster (hamstring) and the Texans are averaging only 3.6 yards per carry – 26th in the NFL - but they could take advantage of the Cowboys, who yield 5.1 yards per tote and a league-worst 6.5 yards per play. Despite the presence of the disruptive Watt, Murray could have another big day considering the Texans' front seven allow five yards per carry - 26th best in the NFL.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (3-1): With the offensive line providing huge holes for Murray, quarterback Tony Romo has been able to pick apart opposing defenses that are stacking the line of scrimmage to stop Murray. After a three-interception disaster in a loss against San Francisco in the opener, Romo has completed 73 percent of his passes with six TDs against one interception. The defense, which was the laughing stock of the NFL a season ago, punished Saints running backs and receivers all night, forced two fumbles and stopped the passing game. Drew Brees, who torched the Cowboys for 838 yards and seven TDs in his previous two games, was held to just 84 yards with an interception in the first half Sunday while Dallas was building a 24-0 lead.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. How dominant is the Cowboys' offensive line? Murray’s 327 rush yards before contact are more than the total rush yards of all but two players in the NFL.

2. The Cowboys have won two of the three previous meetings, including Wade Phillips' last victory as Cowboys coach on Sept. 26, 2010 in Houston.

3. Texans WR Andre Johnson has 949 career receptions and needs three more to pass Hall of Famer Andre Reed for 11th all-time.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 27, Texans 21