Atlanta @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 4, 2015 ) Houston 21, Atlanta 48

The Atlanta Falcons are badly in need of a victory when they visit the Houston Texans on Sunday in their third straight contest against an AFC South team. The Falcons lost the other two to the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans and are beginning a stretch in which four of six games are on the road.

Houston is coming off a lackluster 16-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers and is looking to see quarterback Deshaun Watson step it up after he passed for just 160 yards (his second lowest of the season) with a long completion of only 14 yards. Meanwhile, Watson is looking forward to playing the Falcons as he served as a team ball boy for four seasons and would occasionally throw passes to Atlanta star receiver Julio Jones, among others. "It feels like yesterday he was here launching balls to our wide receivers here in training camp," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan told reporters. "He'd always be down at the (Georgia) Dome on Sundays after games, before games, helping out. It's been amazing to watch his career through college and now in the NFL. I'm happy for him, I'm proud of him. He's a great player and a great competitor and he's had a great career so far." Ryan ranks second in the NFL with 1,325 passing yards and has thrown eight touchdown passes but his six interceptions are one shy of last season's total.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Texans -5. O/U: 49.

ABOUT THE FALCONS (1-3): Ryan has topped 300 passing yards in all four games, including a season-high 397 yards in a 24-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 4 when he failed to throw a touchdown pass. Jones (23 catches, 317 yards) is tied for the NFL lead with four scoring receptions but offensive balance is missing with the rushing attack (70.3) ranking 27th in the NFL. Cornerback Desmond Trufant has both of the team's interceptions while linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (team-best 38 tackles) had a career-high 17 stops last Sunday.

ABOUT THE TEXANS (2-2): Star receiver DeAndre Hopkins (24 receptions, 259 yards) had just 41 yards on five receptions in Week 4 and his 10.8 average is more than three yards below his career mark. Star defensive end J.J. Watt has three sacks but his play pales in comparison to outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus, who shares the NFL lead with four forced fumbles and is tied for fourth with five sacks. Houston is allowing 259 passing yards per game and made a move to help the back end by signing two-time Pro Bowl safety Mike Adams, a 15-year-veteran.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The teams have split four previous meetings with the Falcons rolling to a 48-21 win in 2015 in the most recent matchup.

2. Watson has been sacked 18 times, including six in the loss to the Panthers.

3. Atlanta standout C Alex Mack (elbow) and RG Jamon Brown (concussion) won't have their availability determined until later in the week.

PREDICTION: Texans 23, Falcons 21