Mixon, Texans' Defense Overpower Cowboys on Monday Night Football
The Houston Texans defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-10 at AT&T Stadium for the first time in franchise history Monday and snapped a two-game losing streak.
**Houston Texans (7-4)**
**Pivotal play:** The Texans' defense delivered the knockout blow early in the fourth quarter in a highly unconventional manner. Defensive end Derek Barnett forced a strip sack on Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush. Right tackle Tyler Guyton recovered the fumble and attempted to run for the first down but didn’t make it far. Safety Jalen Pitre knocked the ball loose again, allowing Barnett to recover it and sprint into the end zone. The defensive touchdown extended Houston's lead to 27-10, effectively sealing the win.
**Surprising performance:** Head coach DeMeco Ryans rarely assigns cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to shadow opposing star receivers, but he made an exception against the Cowboys. Stingley was tasked with covering All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb on 17 routes and rose to the challenge, allowing only two catches for 19 yards. He also snagged an interception, broke up two passes, and even drew an offensive pass interference call. According to Next Gen Stats, Rush’s passer rating when targeting Stingley was a dismal 3.5.
**Dallas Cowboys (3-7)**
The Cowboys' season has spiraled further into despair, with their fifth consecutive loss extending their longest losing streak since 2015. While they are not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, it’s hard to find reasons for optimism.
**Pivotal injuries:** Quarterback Dak Prescott is already out for the season following hamstring surgery, and the situation worsened in the fourth quarter of this game. The Cowboys lost both right guard Zack Martin and left guard Tyler Smith in the span of three plays, compounding their offensive struggles.
**Historical low points:** This five-game losing streak matches the longest of head coach Mike McCarthy’s career, dating back to his 2008 season with the Green Bay Packers. For the first time since 1989, the Cowboys have lost their first five home games of the season. That infamous 1989 team finished 1-15 during Jerry Jones’ first year as owner and general manager—a stark reminder of how far this season has fallen.
**QB breakdown:** Cooper Rush had a better statistical outing compared to last week, finishing with 354 passing yards. His highlight was a 64-yard touchdown pass to KaVontae Turpin in the second quarter, with Turpin racking up 56 yards after the catch. However, Rush struggled to create big plays consistently, managing just one more 20-yard completion in the entire game. His fourth-quarter sack-fumble, returned for a Houston touchdown, was emblematic of a Cowboys offense that lacks the margin for error needed to compete.
With only seven weeks remaining in the season, and McCarthy’s contract not guaranteed beyond this year, the Cowboys face serious questions about their direction moving forward.......Read More
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