The Cowboys head into Sunday trying to steady themselves after a brutal last-second loss to the Ravens left them at 1-2, and the trip down I-45 South sets up a tough test against the Texans at Reliant Stadium.
Houston enters at 0-3, a record that has the Texans in desperation mode. If they drop to 0-4, their playoff chances become tiny.
Even so, this is not a team to take lightly. The Texans are built around a defense loaded with recent first- and second-round draft picks, including edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, plus defensive backs Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter.
For Dallas, Brian Schottenheimer and Dak Prescott have to keep the offense moving. The Cowboys also need to find a way to slow CJ Stroud, who will be looking to connect with All-Pro wideout Nico Collins and feed hard-nosed runners David Montgomery and Woody Marks. Houston does not lean on a high-powered offense, but Stroud, Collins, and Montgomery have enough talent to punish a shaky defense.
Here are three things Dallas has to do to get to 2-2.
The first challenge is surviving the edge pressure from Anderson Jr. and Hunter. Anderson is coming off a 12-sack, three-forced-fumble season and has already become one of the league’s most disruptive rushers in his fourth year out of Alabama.
His first-step burst, length, and bend make him a nightmare. Hunter brings his own damage after a 15-sack, three-forced-fumble season.
On clear passing downs, both will be racing to the quarterback, and Prescott will have to feel that heat, climb the pocket, and find the open throws underneath if CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are locked up by Stingley Jr. and Lassiter on the outside.
Dallas also has to attack a Texans secondary that has not played up to standard. Houston is fifth against the run through three games, which makes life harder for Javonte Williams and the ground game, but the back end has been vulnerable.
The Texans are allowing 238.7 passing yards per game, which ranks 26th in the league. Lassiter, a third-year player out of Georgia, has been physical but uneven in downfield coverage.
That gives Schottenheimer a reason to test him early with Lamb and Pickens. Stingley Jr. is on the other side, and that matchup is not one the Cowboys should treat lightly.
Finally, the Cowboys have to get after Stroud and force him into shorter throws and poor choices. When pressure reaches him, his QBR falls to 88.0, which ranks 22nd in the league.
He is not a dynamic runner, but he is a pocket passer who can carve up a defense if he has time. Dallas’ front seven, which has only two sacks through three games and ranks 30th in the league, needs a real jump from Donovan Ezeiruaku, Rashan Gary, and the rest.
The Cowboys have spent three games dealing with running quarterbacks, but Stroud gives them a different kind of problem. Houston has allowed 10 sacks in three games and ranks 30th in pass protection, so this is a matchup where pressure could decide everything.
Someone has to emerge as a legitimate pass rusher if Dallas wants to do anything in 2026.
In Other News...
Tony Romos Next Move Could Reopen A Cowboys Debate
Tony Romos split with CBS Sports leaves one of the leagues most recognizable voices back in the mix, even if his next step is still unclear. The move came after a July arrest, and Romo has said he plans to focus on his health and family before making any decision about what comes next. CBS has already settled on J.J. Watt as its lead analyst alongside Jim Nantz, so Romos path now shifts away from the booth and into whatever comes next off the air.
For Cowboys fans, the more interesting wrinkle is where this could lead in Dallas. Romo has long remained tied to the franchise that made him a household name, and any conversation about his future inevitably brings up the possibility of a front-office or advisory role. There is no official confirmation of anything along those lines, but if Romo does circle back to the Cowboys, it would reopen a familiar debate about how much the team should lean on a former quarterback whose influence still resonates around the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Pulled Off A Comeback But Two Problems Still Loom
The Cowboys had to claw their way back against Houston, but they found enough late offense to leave Week 4 with a 34-30 win after a slow start and a brief stumble after losing the lead. The ending was the kind of response Dallas has been looking for, with the offense delivering a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter to finish off a game that never came easy.
CeeDee Lamb was the headliner, setting a franchise record with 17 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown, while Rashan Gary and Quinnen Williams each added sacks on the other side of the ball. Even with the win, the bigger picture was harder to ignore: the rushing attack never really got going, and the cornerback play was uneven enough to keep some questions alive despite the comeback. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott Suddenly Gives Cowboys Fans A Short-Week Concern
Dak Prescott left the Week 4 game against the Houston Texans with his right hand wrapped, a small detail that immediately caught the eye of Cowboys fans coming off a physical divisional-style matchup. Prescott said he was stepped on and is dealing with swelling, though he described himself as otherwise fine, which at least offered some early reassurance after a game that gave Dallas plenty to sort through.
The timing is what makes it worth watching. The Cowboys are headed into a short week before their Week 5 game, and the first official injury report coming Monday should offer a clearer picture of whether this is just a postgame inconvenience or something the team needs to monitor closely as it prepares for the next round. [Read more 🡒]