Texans Stun Cowboys on ‘Monday Night Football’: The key highlights and insights of Houston’s 34 10 victory
There were moments of brilliance but also lapses for Houston, which seized the spotlight Monday night with a decisive 34-10 win over Dallas. On this episode of the Dazed Podcast, host Dean Oladitan breaks down the key plays, stand-out stats, and what it all means for both teams moving forward.
Prime Time Win for Houston
The Texans came out rolling and scored early and often in the opening quarter, but they fizzled offensively for much of the game. No one was more MVP of the night than running back Joe Mixon, who rushed for over 100 yards and had three touchdowns. His performance kept Houston afloat when the offense stalled.
And although Dallas put a lightning bolt on the Ice Cube when KaVontae Turpin’s elevation snatch for a 64-yard touchdown flashed momentarily, it was Houston’s defense that stole the show. Jalen Pitre and Derek Barnett delivered the play of the night: He turned in a strip sack on Cooper Rush, fetching a fumble return for a touchdown. Houston’s dominance was underscored by that momentumshifting defensive play that sealed the game.
Improves but can’t pull out the W for Cooper Rush
Dallas’ backup quarterback Cooper Rush made progress in his second start, throwing for 354 yards and a touchdown. Their disadvantage was the Cowboys asked too much of his arm, particularly by feeding him 55 more passes than they gave him support in the running game.
CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin combined for 179 yards and a score, but Dallas’ offense didn’t have balance or firepower. Rush’s solid performance was dappled in the glaring deficiencies of a team that has little hope of reorganizing itself out of this place in the 2024 season.
There’s still work to be done for the Texans’ offense.
Generally, Houston’s offense had some troubling inconsistencies in its win. The Texans went 3 of 11 on third downs and couldn’t protect rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud who finished 23 of 34 for 257 yards and one interception.
Joe Mixon was brilliant on the ground, covering up for the offense, but the offense still has some work to do regarding questionable play calling and red zone efficiency. These issues need to be fixed if Houston wants a shot at the playoffs.
The Absence Of Will Anderson JR. Was Felt.
While the Texans’ defense had a good game, limiting those issues and racking up five sacks, it surely felt the absence of star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. Cooper Rush had all the time in the world to throw for much of the first half, and the Texans couldn’t consistently get any pressure.
Then it was Derek Barnett and Danielle Hunter’s turn, with Barnett and Hunter coming up with three sacks to take some of the slack off Houston’s defensive front. Against stronger opponents, though, the Texans will need Anderson back to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Uncertainty for Cowboys deepens spirals
Monday’s loss just deepened the crisis in disarray in Dallas. The Cowboys’ struggles are multifaceted: They have injuries, a lack of offensive weapons beyond Lamb and Turpin, and a defense that has yet to be what it was billed to be.
For all of Micah Parsons’ return and turnover creation, Houston’s ground game still proved too much, and its defense couldn’t recapture its mojo. With seven games left in the season, this year has been perhaps the most disappointing walkabout fans of Dallas have gone through yet. But for now, the Cowboys, by their admission, are destined to limp through the remainder of 2024 before deciding what to do about the future.
Stats to Keep in Mind and Insights to Understand
- KaVontae Turpin’s Speed: Turpin’s 64-yard touchdown was the fastest running play for a Cowboys ball carrier since the 2016 Next Gen Stats era (22.36 mph).
- Historic Struggles at Home: In the last six home games, Dallas has trailed by at least 20 points, an NFL record that dates back to last season’s playoff loss to Green Bay.
Looking Ahead
Now 7–4, the Texans are atop the AFC South, but they still have offensive questions to answer if they want to compete with tough opponents. Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ hopes of salvaging the season are dissipating quickly, and they are set for a daunting stretch. Although they could redeem themselves against the Giants, time is running out.
More will come as the 2024 NFL season unfolds.
