The Cowboys and Texans are headed for another in-state collision Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium, and both teams are walking into it with the kind of urgency that comes from digging an early hole. Houston is 0-3.
Dallas is 1-2. Together, they’ve stumbled to a combined 1-5 entering Week 4.
This matchup also comes with a fresh memory from last season’s regular-season meeting, when Houston went into AT&T Stadium in Week 11 of 2024 and rolled past Dallas 34-10. Now the Cowboys are trying to steady themselves after a last-second loss, and one Dallas expert believes the mood inside the building is still manageable.
“I think team morale is in a good place. I’m of the belief that it’s easier to bounce back from a blowout than a last second-loss, but the Cowboys should feel good that they hung with one of the best teams in football despite all of the kinks they are working out on defense. Despite the loss, I feel optimistic about this team’s outlook and I imagine the locker room feels similarly."
That optimism hasn’t erased the issues, though. Dallas enters the week with the 8th-worst scoring defense in the NFL at 27.3 points per game, and the concerns on that side of the ball are real. The question is whether the problems are permanent or just part of a rough early stretch.
“I think it’s a little bit of both. Christian Parker is a 34-year-old first-time play caller.
He’s learning on the job, but has bounced back from getting outclassed against the Giants in Week one. At the same time, two of Dallas’ top three defenders right now are rookies in Caleb Downs and Jaishawn Barham (Quinnen Williams being No.
1). Dee Winters has been unplayable at linebacker and Rashan Gary has made little to no impact.
I think this defense will be OK by mid-season, but it’s extremely vulnerable right now."
One move that could help is the addition of former Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., whose arrival should give Dallas more flexibility in coverage. The fit may not be perfect on paper, but the expectation is that his skill set can change how the defense operates.
“Much has been made about Porter being one of the better press-man corners in the NFL and Parker calling a zone-heavy defense. However, Porter’s ability to erase one boundary is only going to give Parker more freedom to throw different looks.
No defensive coordinator would turn down a cornerback with Porter’s traits. He’s going to help unlock a lot of things for Parker once this secondary is back at full strength."
If Dallas is going to win Sunday, the path starts up front. The Texans’ pass rush, led by Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, has to be contained. That means help for tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele, because Dak Prescott can only do so much if he’s under siege.
“First, don’t let Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter wreck the game. The Cowboys have to send help to starting tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele.
Dak Prescott is playing at an extremely high level, but that won’t matter if he doesn’t have time to throw. Second, get pressure on C.J.
Stroud - If Dallas’ pass rush can’t get home this week, Jerry Jones might be making more trade calls on Monday. This matchup is set up for Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark to wreak havoc on the inside.
And there were ever a game to unleash first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, who has the highest pass-rush win rate on the team, it’s this one. Third, don’t allow explosive plays - Essentially, make this Texans offense win by a 1,000 paper cuts.
The run game is still an issue, but Nico Collins is on track to play. If Dallas can avoid letting Collins get loose in the secondary, I like their chances of winning this game."
That leaves Dallas with a simple but demanding checklist: protect Prescott, chase C.J. Stroud, and keep Nico Collins from turning one play into a game-breaker. Sunday’s showdown gives both Texas teams a chance to stop the bleeding.
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