The Houston Texans head into Week 4 at 0-3, and the matchup with the Dallas Cowboys brings a handful of one-on-one battles that could shape how their season looks after Sunday.
Houston is expected to get some help back, and one of the biggest returns should be Nico Collins. His presence changes the feel of the offense immediately, but he’ll also be walking straight into one of the week’s most talked-about defensive assignments in Joey Porter Jr., who is set to make his Cowboys debut after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Porter is likely to draw Collins for much of the day, and that duel could go a long way toward determining how well the Texans move the ball.
That matters even more because Houston’s offense hasn’t looked the same in the two games Collins has missed. Without him in the receiving mix, the results have not been especially encouraging, so his return comes with real weight attached to it.
The Texans also have a major test waiting for them on the outside defensively. Derek Stingley Jr. against CeeDee Lamb is the kind of matchup that can tilt a game in a hurry, and it may be the most intriguing battle on the field. The two have only faced each other once despite being in the league together for nearly five seasons, and Lamb got the better of that meeting with eight catches for 93 yards on 12 targets.
Still, Stingley had plenty of answers in that game. On the five times he was targeted, he allowed just one catch for eight yards and also came away with an interception in a Texans win. If Houston gets anything close to that kind of performance again, it would be a major boost for the defense.
Up front, the Texans are also expecting right guard Ed Ingram back after a two-week absence. That should help the offensive line overall and, in particular, give Houston a better chance to get its run game going. The Texans have not found the same success on the ground since David Montgomery’s three-touchdown debut against the Buffalo Bills, and Ingram’s return could help steady that part of the offense.
But the challenge inside gets no easier. Houston has already dealt with a run of top-tier interior defenders in recent weeks, including Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence, DeForest Buckner, and Quinnen Williams is next. If Williams wins that matchup and makes life miserable for the Texans’ front, an 0-4 start starts to feel very much in play.
In Other News...
Former Texans Safetys Carjacking Triggered A Much Bigger FBI Case
Former NFL safety Jaylen Reed was the victim of an armed carjacking outside his home in January, an alarming case that quickly escalated far beyond a stolen vehicle. The car was later recovered after a police chase, and that led investigators to suspect Montreal Frye, setting off a broader look at what had happened and who may have been involved.
What started as a single violent crime soon opened a window into something much larger. The investigation uncovered a gang known as the Young Shooters, and federal authorities ultimately mounted a major FBI sting that resulted in the arrests of more than 15 suspected gang members, turning one players ordeal into a much wider law-enforcement case. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Need To Let C.J. Stroud Change Everything Against Dallas
Through three games, the Texans rushing offense has been stuck near the bottom of the league in both total yards and yards per carry, which has left a familiar question hanging over the offense: how long can Houston keep waiting for the ground game to catch up? C.J. Stroud has done his part by keeping the passing game steady and avoiding interceptions, and with Dallas on deck, there is at least a clear path for Houston to lean into what has worked.
The Cowboys have shown vulnerability in coverage, which makes this a natural week for the Texans to let Stroud carry more of the load if needed. Houston would also love to get Nico Collins and Ed Ingram back for the matchup, since either return could help shape how aggressive the offense can be, but the bigger issue remains whether the Texans are ready to stop treating the passing game as a complement and start using it as the driver. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Backfield Injury Suddenly Makes Dare Ogunbowale Addition Matter
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Dare Ogunbowales recent arrival suddenly looks a lot more relevant because of it. Houston signed him to help cover the role Brooks was filling, with the biggest value expected to come on special teams while Brooks is out. For a team trying to keep depth intact, the move is less about splash and more about surviving the next stretch without losing too much on the margins. [Read more 🡒]