Sunday's meeting between the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys is a rivalry game (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), but star pass-rusher J.J. Watt made it clear that given where the Texans are in the standings entering Week 5, it doesn't matter who is lining up across from them.

"We're 1-3," Watt said. "We need a win. That's what it is. We need to keep winning."

Dallas likely feels the same after its 2-2 start to the season. Though the Texans are already two games back in the AFC South, the Cowboys are right in the thick of the NFC East race and need a victory to keep pace in a competitive division.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, who has two years left on the five-year contract he signed in 2015, and Texans coach Bill O'Brien, who signed an extension in January that sees his contract go through the 2022 season, could both be in trouble if their teams miss the playoffs, so the team that loses Sunday's game will really be feeling the heat.

Texans reporter Sarah Barshop and Cowboys reporter Todd Archer break down why these teams will -- or won't -- make the playoffs.

Why the Cowboys will make the playoffs: First things first, the Cowboys have to show they can win consecutive games, starting Sunday against the Texans, but the answer to the question is fairly simple: Ezekiel Elliott and the defense. The NFL is a passing league these days, but the Cowboys rely on the running game to get it done. They also have a defense that can slow down teams with a pass rush led by DeMarcus Lawrence, who has a league-high 5.5 sacks. It's an old-school formula that does not allow a large margin for error, but it has worked for teams in the past. Maybe it has not made for Super Bowl teams in recent years, but it can get the Cowboys to the playoffs.

Why the Cowboys won't make the playoffs: At some point the Cowboys will have to make plays in the passing game. They struggle to throw for 200 yards in a game; Dak Prescott has done it just three times in his past 12. That's 200 yards, not 300. The receivers have one 1,000-yard season among them and don't put fear in defenses, which means opponents will load up to stop Elliott. Defensively at some point, the Cowboys will have to take the ball away. Through four games, they are the only team without an interception. As well as they have played, the best defenses give their offenses short fields to score points with takeaways. This Dallas defense has yet to show it can do that.

Why the Texans will make the playoffs: It will be an uphill battle, but the Texans showed glimpses of the team they are hoping to be in Week 4 against the Colts. They'll need to see more consistency from quarterback Deshaun Watson and more of the creativity they showed early against Indianapolis while continuing to improve in the red zone. The defense had its ups and downs against Indy, but if Watt and Jadeveon Clowney can continue to play at a high level -- they combined for four sacks against the Colts -- and stay healthy, they could cause trouble for quarterbacks all season. Houston came into 2018 with the easiest schedule in the NFL, and though the Texans have had a few missed opportunities in losses to the Marcus Mariota-less Titans and the now-1-3 Giants, they have a home-heavy schedule coming up -- including games against the Cowboys, Bills and Dolphins -- that could get them back on track.

Why the Texans won't make the playoffs: The Texans are already in a big hole in the standings and will have a tough time overcoming that, because they are two games behind the Jaguars and the Titans in the division. Though they have four games left against AFC South opponents to make up that ground, they haven't shown they can be consistent on offense. Some of that is on Watson, but a lot stems from the way the offensive line has struggled. Houston lost right tackle Seantrel Henderson to an ankle injury in Week 1 and had to bench his replacement, Julién Davenport, against the Colts. Watson, who had surgery to repair a torn right ACL less than a year ago, has already been sacked 17 times and taken 43 hits. If the line does not improve in protecting Watson and giving him more time to throw, Houston will not be a playoff team for the second season in a row.