ARLINGTON, Texas — Joe Mixon shone on the field with three rushing touchdowns, and Derek Barnett scored on a 28-yard fumble return as the Houston Texans overwhelmed the Dallas Cowboys with a final score of 34-10 on Monday night.
The Texans improved to a record of 7-4, effectively halting C.J. Stroud’s second two-game losing streak since he joined the team. They maintained a comfortable two-game lead in the AFC South division.
In a season riddled with challenges, the Cowboys encountered yet another setback before the game even began. Debris fell from the stadium’s retractable roof during its opening, but fortunately, no delay or injuries were reported. This incident foreshadowed a fifth straight defeat for a team that had previously lost only five games total in each of the last three playoff appearances.
Despite Cooper Rush connecting with KaVontae Turpin on a 64-yard touchdown pass, the Cowboys were unable to turn their fortunes around in Rush’s second start following Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring injury. This current losing streak marks the longest for the Cowboys since suffering seven straight losses in 2015.
Trailing by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, Barnett stripped the ball from Rush just as he was about to throw. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton attempted to run the ball to score, but a hit from Jalen Pitre caused another fumble. Barnett scooped it up and sped toward the end zone, nearly stepping out of bounds en route.
Prior to this pivotal moment, the Cowboys believed they had narrowed the gap to a touchdown with a 64-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey, only to have the score nullified due to a penalty against Barnett for slapping Terence Steele. Instead of taking the points, they opted to decline the penalty, but Rush’s fourth-down pass from the Texans’ 8-yard line fell incomplete.
Receiver Nico Collins made an impressive return after missing five games due to a hamstring injury, taking a screen pass for an exhilarating 77-yard touchdown run. However, the score was invalidated because of an ineligible receiver downfield. Nevertheless, the Texans capped off that drive with a touchdown, featuring a 45-yard rush by Mixon followed by a 1-yard scoring run that put them ahead 14-0. Mixon finished the game with 109 rushing yards and contributed a 37-yard catch-and-run that set up another scoring opportunity.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, already without Prescott, they also lost tight end Jake Ferguson to a concussion. In addition, perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin and left guard Tyler Smith succumbed to ankle injuries during the game. As a result, Rush was sacked five times, including three in one sequence after Martin and Smith exited.
Stroud, who has recently struggled with form, only needed to manage the game effectively. He finished the night with 257 passing yards, but did throw an early interception on a fourth-down attempt. Rush had a productive evening, completing 32 of 55 passes for 354 yards, along with one touchdown and one interception. Turpin contributed with three receptions totaling 86 yards.
Injuries significantly impacted both teams, as Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr., a standout with 7 1/2 sacks, was listed as inactive due to an ankle injury. On the Cowboys’ side, defensive back Markquese Bell did not return to the game after sustaining a shoulder injury while covering a kickoff in the second quarter.
Looking ahead, the Texans will be hosting the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, while the Cowboys are set to travel to Washington for their next matchup.