The Houston Texans have won the battle of Texas, as they dominated the struggling Dallas Cowboys, 34-10, on “Monday Night Football.”
Houston came into this game losing back-to-back games, and there were some murmurs from the fan base about what needs to be done on offense with C.J. Stroud struggling to get going of late.
But, with his trusty receiver Nico Collins back from a hamstring injury, Stroud looked more poised, and it opened up a lot for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik to work with.
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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) celebrates with Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
Collins’ return to the football field led to 54 yards on four receptions.
His first catch of the game was a screen that went all the way for a touchdown, which would’ve been the ultimate welcome back. However, it was called back due to an illegal man downfield.
But a few plays later, it was Joe Mixon, the Texans’ workhorse running back, scoring his first of three touchdowns on the night – a 45-yard sprint that got past every Cowboys defender on his way to the end zone.
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Mixon’s second came on the Texans’ third drive of the game, as he bounced out to the right and showboated his way into the colored paint to give the Texans a definitive 14-0 lead. He finished the game with 109 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
But Cooper Rush and the Cowboys’ offense didn’t just roll over like last week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Rush needed to get something going for Dallas after an opening-drive fake punt was thwarted by Houston, and the signal caller threw an interception on the team’s second drive.
He did just that with KaVontae Turpin’s speed, as he caught a slant and hit the jets for a 64-yard touchdown. It was exactly what the Cowboys, and Rush in particular, needed to feel confident with the ball in their hands after scoring just six points a week ago.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) runs with the ball as Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre (5) defends during the first half at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
While no other play found the end zone after Turpin, there was a back-and-forth of field goals between Ka’imi Fairbairn and Brandon Aubrey, the latter of who knocked through an incredible 64-yard field goal.
In the second half, with Houston owning a 20-10 lead, the Cowboys were knocking on the doorstep, looking at fourth-and-2 from the Texans’ 8-yard line. Head coach Mike McCarthy opted to go for it, but a pass that went incomplete turned the ball over on downs for the second time this game.
The Cowboys were able to force the Texans to punt, but a costly mistake came when Rush was strip sacked and despite one of his offensive lineman scooping up the fumble, it was knocked out of his hands and Derek Barnett took it into the end zone to make it 27-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Mixon would later rush for his third touchdown of the night, which was the kill shot for the Cowboys, who have now lost five straight games and moved to 3-7.
Stroud was efficient with his passes in this one, going 23-of-34 for 257 yards, though he didn’t throw a touchdown. He hit eight different receivers, including Tank Dell who matched Collins’ output of 54 yards on four catches.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) runs for a touchdown past Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
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For the Cowboys, Rush had to throw 55 times, completing 32 of them for 354 yards with one touchdown and one interception. CeeDee Lamb hauled in a game-high eight catches for 93 yards, though his face said it all on the sidelines after yet another crushing loss.
Finally, the Cowboys have now trailed by at least 20 points in six straight home games, which continues to be an NFL record as they can’t figure things out in their own barn.
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