The Cowboys’ Week 4 trip to face the Texans carries a lot more weight than a normal early-season game. Dallas is 1-2, Houston is 0-3, and both teams are staring at a matchup that already feels like it can shape the rest of their season.
For the Texans, the math is simple enough: another loss would put them at 0-4 and make the playoff picture look bleak. For the Cowboys, the concern is less about the standings right now and more about what their own history says when they start slowly.
ESPN’s Todd Archer pointed out why this game has taken on must-win energy for Dallas. “Since 2000, the Cowboys have opened the season with one win in their first four games four times (2025, 2020, 2010, 2000) and did not finish any of those seasons with a winning record,” Archer writes.
That’s the part that hangs over this one. If the Cowboys fall to 1-3 after Sunday, their postseason path gets a lot tighter, even if the NFC East is still there for the taking.
The division is hardly settled. The New York Giants are dealing with the Jaxson Dart injury, the Washington Commanders are without Jayden Daniels because of injury, and the Philadelphia Eagles have struggled on both sides of the ball to start the year. So no, a Cowboys loss wouldn’t mathematically bury them.
But it would leave them with far less room to breathe.
A win, on the other hand, would pull Dallas back to 2-2 and could leave the Cowboys tied for the NFC East lead after Week 4. That would give them a much cleaner path to chasing the division over the Eagles, Giants and Commanders.
Kenny Clark made it clear the urgency is real. “We need this win too, so we need to be more desperate,” he said of the matchup with Houston.
The Cowboys may not be in total panic mode yet, but their own recent history says this is the kind of game they can’t afford to let slip.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Marvin Harrison Jr. Decision To Make
Marvin Harrison Jr.s first stretch with the Cardinals has been quieter than many expected, and that has already started to stir the kind of trade talk that follows any highly touted young receiver who is not getting much run. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler reported that Washington is among the teams keeping an eye on the situation, which makes sense for a Commanders club always thinking about how to keep its passing game stocked for the future.
From Washingtons perspective, Harrison is the sort of name that naturally invites interest: a big talent, a premium pedigree, and a player whose availability would change the conversation in a hurry. But any possible move would come with real questions about cost, fit and timing, and for now the Commanders are still in the monitoring stage rather than any confirmed pursuit. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders May Have A Different Plan For Joshua Josephs
Joshua Josephs has already given the Commanders something to think about as they sort through the next layer of their defense. The idea being floated is a position change, with Josephs potentially moving from edge rusher to inside linebacker, a switch that would ask for a different kind of responsibility but could also open a clearer path to playing time. His physical traits and skill set are part of why the conversation is even on the table.
Washingtons roster situation adds to the intrigue, since the team is still weighing how best to cover future needs in the middle of the defense. If the Commanders decide Josephs is better suited to that role, it could help both sides by putting him in a spot where his strengths are easier to maximize. For now, it remains more of a possibility than a decision, but it is the sort of roster wrinkle worth watching as the team keeps shaping its defense. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Could Catch Washington Without Its Biggest Receiving Threat
Terry McLaurins availability has become one of the biggest questions hanging over Washington heading into Week 4, after the veteran receiver picked up a hamstring injury in practice and was listed as questionable for Sundays game against the Colts. McLaurin was limited in practice, and the issue is a new concern for him at a time when the Commanders are already managing significant changes on offense.
The timing is less than ideal for Washington, which is set to face Indianapolis without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. If McLaurin cannot go, the Commanders would be trying to piece together their passing game without one of their most important targets, a development that would leave even more onus on a unit already under pressure to adjust. [Read more 🡒]