The Cowboys are heading back to Texas for Week 4, but their next opponent will feel very different.
After opening the season with losses to Buffalo, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, the Houston Texans enter Sunday’s game against Dallas at 0-3. The Texans have scored only 54 points through three games, but their record doesn’t tell the whole story of a team that has shown flashes on both sides of the ball while struggling to put it all together when it matters most.
For the Cowboys, this is also a different
challenge than the first three weeks. Dallas opened against the Giants, played Washington at home and then traveled to Brazil to face Baltimore. Now, after the long trip back from South America, the Cowboys have a much shorter trip south to Houston for an in-state matchup with plenty of familiarity.
So, let’s take a look at who the Cowboys are facing in Week 4.
The Texans are still trying to figure out their offense
The biggest question surrounding Houston right now is fairly simple: Where is the offense? The Texans have averaged 349 offensive yards per game through three weeks, including only 84.7 rushing yards per game. Their rushing attack ranks near the bottom of the league, and the Texans have averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.
That lack of consistency on the ground has made life more difficult for an offense that has otherwise gotten some encouraging quarterback play from C.J. Stroud. He has thrown for 794 yards through three games without an interception, although his production has varied considerably from week to week.
He threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo in Week 1, then threw for 353 yards against Cincinnati, and completed 16 of 27 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis.
The problem is that the Texans have not consistently turned those passing yards into points. Against Cincinnati, Houston scored only six points despite Stroud throwing 55 passes. Against Indianapolis, the Texans gained only 233 total yards in a 19-17 loss.
After the game, head coach DeMeco Ryans acknowledged that the team’s rushing attack wasn’t good enough and said Houston has to be willing to make offensive adjustments. That could mean a more pass-heavy Texans offense against Dallas, particularly if Houston gets some of its injured pieces back.
Nico Collins could change the equation
Which brings us to one of the biggest developments to watch this week: Whether Nico Collins returns. Collins missed Houston’s last two games with a hamstring injury after opening the season with seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo. His absence has been noticeable, particularly in the red zone, where Houston, like Dallas, has struggled to finish drives.
The Texans hope Collins can return against Dallas, but his status will depend on his progress during the week. Guard Ed Ingram is also expected to have a chance to return after missing the last two games with a groin injury, and he could make a plus impact for an offense that has struggled to run the football.
If Collins is back, Stroud suddenly has his top outside target again, giving Houston another way to stretch a Dallas defense. If Collins cannot go, Dalton Schultz becomes an even more important part of the passing game. Schultz leads the Texans in receiving yards with 205 through three games, while Jaylin Noel has 101 and Collins has 75 despite playing only one game.
Will Anderson Jr. is the player Dallas has to know
While the offense has struggled to find its footing, Houston’s defensive front has given the Texans something they can build around. Will Anderson Jr. enters Week 4 with four sacks through three games, including 2.5 against Indianapolis. He also forced a fumble against the Colts, continuing an extremely active start to his fourth NFL season.
Anderson is not the only problem on that defensive line, either. Danielle Hunter remains one of the Texans’ most recognizable pass rushers, while Houston also has Jadeveon Clowney, although Clowney has been dealing with a knee injury and missed the Week 3 game against Indianapolis. The Texans have generated 10 sacks as a team through three games, giving Dallas another defensive front that can make life uncomfortable for Dak Prescott.
That pass rush has been one of the more encouraging aspects of Houston’s start. After the Colts game, Ryans specifically praised Anderson and the defensive line for generating pressure, while also acknowledging that the next step is turning that pressure into more turnovers. That distinction matters for a Cowboys offense coming off a game in which it moved the ball effectively against Baltimore but repeatedly struggled to finish drives.
The Texans’ defense is still potent
Anderson gets most of the attention up front, but Houston has plenty of experience behind him. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair leads the Texans with 31 total tackles, while safety Reed Blankenship has 22 and Jalen Pitre has 12. In the secondary, Houston still has Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock, giving the Texans a group with plenty of athleticism and experience.
Stingley has also already recorded an interception this season, although Houston has generally struggled to create turnovers. Through the first three games, the Texans have not been particularly disruptive in that area. That could come into play against Dallas because the Cowboys have shown they can produce explosive plays through CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Dak Prescott when the offense gets into rhythm.
Plenty at stake this early in the season
The Cowboys and Texans don’t play often enough for this to be a traditional rivalry, but there is always an added layer when two Texas teams meet. This year’s meeting comes with considerably more immediate stakes for Houston.
The Texans are 0-3 and heading home to face a Cowboys team that is 1-2 after losing a three-point, disastrous heartbreaker in Brazil. Houston’s offense needs to find consistency; its injured players could determine how much firepower it has available, and its defense will be relying heavily on a pass rush that has already shown it can create problems.
For Dallas, the challenge is different. The Cowboys have to put the Brazil trip behind them, get back on the road, and avoid letting Houston’s record obscure the fact that this is a team with legitimate talent on both sides of the ball. The Texans may be 0-3, but they have plenty of reasons to believe they can change that record. Sunday will tell us whether Dallas can keep them from doing it.
