MNF betting preview: Can Texans snap 2-game skid against reeling Cowboys?

Unfortunately, NFL fans must continue to watch the Cowboys in prime time. Even during a disastrous season in which Dak Prescott has been ruled out for the remainder of the year, Dallas still draws huge audiences.

The Cowboys are already looking ahead to next season as Cooper Rush remains their signal-caller for the rest of this campaign. Dallas won't successfully move the ball against the NFL's third-best passing defense, which only allows 174 passing yards per game. So Dallas will rely on its ground game, right? Well, the Cowboys have the league's second-worst rushing attack. They won't score enough to win.

The Texans are dealing with their own struggles, as well as injuries to key offensive pieces, after losing two straight to the Jets and Lions. Houston still has a significant lead in the lousy AFC South. There's no need to panic, but the Texans must find their footing against the Cowboys in prime time if they want to be a playoff threat in an extremely competitive AFC.

Key trends

• The Cowboys are 2-7 ATS and 0-4 straight up and ATS at home.
• The Texans are 4-5-1 ATS and 2-3 on the road.
• Houston is 2-4 as a road favorite under DeMeco Ryans.
• The Texans have the best under rate in the NFL, with eight of their 10 games going under the total.
• C.J. Stroud is 1-3 ATS in night games and 5-10 ATS as a favorite in his career.

Insights

Bettors are done with the Cowboys' egregious ATS record. Even as a touchdown underdog, 73% of the bets are on Houston to cover. However, 53% of the money is on Dallas.

Following the Texans' under streak, 62% of the bets and 72% of the handle are on the game to go under the 41.5 total.

Best bet - Texans -7

The Texans are desperate for a win after consecutive losses, while the Cowboys could quit on their season as the Jaguars did in Sunday's 46-point loss to the Lions. Laying a touchdown is never ideal, but it's worth it against Dallas' porous defense and incompetent offense.

Players to watch

Joe Mixon over 89.5 rushing yards

The Cowboys allow the second-most rushing yards per game, and Houston relies heavily on Joe Mixon to generate offense. He's rushed for over 100 yards in four of the past five games while averaging 22.4 carries.

C.J. Stroud over 249.5 passing yards

Houston's run-game production will open up the passing game. C.J. Stroud has struggled the last few weeks with a revolving door of receivers, but he'll have his No. 1 weapon back in the lineup thanks to Nico Collins' return.

Stroud has only reached 250 passing yards once in his past five games, but he surpassed this total in three of the five contests Collins played. The Cowboys' defense is helpless and will likely show poor effort as their season erodes.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.