Houston Texans: 3 players key to winning the interstate showdown vs. the Cowboys
By T.A. Mock
DJ Reader, NT
Highlighting DJ Reader follows the same lines as highlighting McKinney. The Houston Texans absolutely need to shut down Zeek. Reader has very quietly become one of the best interior defensive linemen in the entire league with his calling card being run defense.
Reader will forever be an unsung hero on this Texans defense. There are simply too many other stars and what he does will never be super flashy. However, he will be a major key in the Texans shutting down Zeek this Sunday.
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Cowboys All-Pro center, Travis Frederick, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that has him out indefinitely. They didn’t put him on the IR in hopes that he’d be able to return in relatively short order. Unfortunately, he still isn’t recovered enough to play but this does create a weak link in an otherwise stout offensive line.
Frederick’s replacement, Joe Looney, is solid but there is a reason why he’s getting close to a career in starts in his seventh year in the league. This creates a hole right in front of Prescott and up the middle for a strong runner in Zeek.
Reader is going to be essential in blowing Looney up and stymying the run game tomorrow against the Cowboys. If he can jettison Looney into the backfield consistently, both Zeek and Dak will have a hard time getting anything going on offense. If he does, the Texans won’t have any trouble gaining the victory.
Next. The good, bad, and ugly from the week four win. dark
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