The Dallas Cowboys traveled within the state to take on a winless Houston Texans team on Sunday. While the Texans did not have a win, the Cowboys were equally desperate given the way that last week in Rio went.
Both teams played to that level of drama. The offenses really came alive in the second half, and the final minutes saw each team trade dramatic blows.
It was the Cowboys who came out on top to win the Texas State Championship, though. CeeDee Lamb was heroic all day long, but he was particularly
so in the final moments as Dak Prescott found him for the game-winning touchdown.
Dallas is .500 at 2-2 and has a quick turnaround this week with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to town, very likely without Baker Mayfield.
This was a big game to get through and they have done so. Below you will find our recap of how it all unfolded.
Cowboys win!
First Quarter
The Cowboys won the toss and deferred. You always love to see that.
At least you do in theory. The Texans entered this game with a lot of questions surrounding their team at large, but their offense has been the subject of discussion from a national level for some time. It is a good thing they were playing the Cowboys defense because they looked incredible on their first drive. Nico Collins scored a touchdown in his return and just like that Dallas trailed 7-0.
The Cowboys moved the ball fairly well themselves, but not to the same degree or with the same success. Houston’s defense stood tall when Dallas got within striking distance and the Cowboys had to settle for a 39-yard field goal to narrow things. Houston led 7-3.
Early in their next drive the Texans struck big again. DaRon Bland got beat on the touchdown and did here as well.
Houston picked up a few penalties that stalled their drive in an overall sense, but they were within field goal range and cashed in to take a 10-3 lead.
The period ended with Dallas facing a third down on offense.
Second Quarter
The Cowboys converted and found themselves near the redzone pretty soon after. Coming away with points obviously felt critical.
They got them… but again by way of Brandon Aubrey. He successfully booted a 50-yard field goal and Dallas still trailed, but at this point it was 10-6.
Miraculously, the Cowboys forced a Texans punt. They held the ball with the chance to go take a lead for the first time in the game. Also… another miracle occurred early in the drive on third and forever as the Cowboys picked up an illegal hands to the face penalty against the Texans. It seemed like this was the window. Unfortunately the Cowboys wound up punting shortly after anyway.
Amazingly… the Cowboys forced another punt! All of a sudden they were happening left and right. The offense took over yet again with a chance to lead and with about half of the second quarter remaining.
That chance was also squandered. The Cowboys offense barely moved and decided that a 62-yard field goal was worth attempting. Brandon Aubrey unfortunately had his attempt blocked for the second time in as many weeks.
While the Texans didn’t fully cash in the field position helped them walk away with a 39-yard field goal before it was all said and done. They extended their lead to 13-6 with just over two minutes left until halftime. Given that Dallas deferred they had a double-dip opportunity staring them in the face.
Yet again, they did not capitalize. The Texans burned timeouts to try and steal a possession before halftime and ultimately they got one. To be fair it only came because Dak Prescott took a bad sack on third down and Brandon Aubrey missed a 65-yard field goal attempt, but the possession existed.
Houston capitalized and pulled off a 54-yard field goal to end the half and take a 16-6 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
Obviously the Cowboys needed points in the worst way, and to their credit they really acted that way as the second half began.
Things really broke open when Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a huge gain to put the team in striking distance. Shortly after Javonte Williams was in the endzone and everything felt okay again.
Unfortunately there must be balance in the universe. As the Cowboys offense found itself… the defense finally broke again.
Houston marched right down the field to return serve with a touchdown of their own, Nico Collins’ second on the day.
Offense was clearly awake in the game at large, though!
On the Cowboys’ first play of the next drive… Dak Prescott went deep to George Pickens for a 53-yard connection. It was Pickens’ first reception of the day and put the Cowboys on the verge of another touchdown.
A pair of penalties against Houston’s Kamari Lassiter kept a Cowboys drive alive that would have otherwise fallen in epic fashion. One of them even came on a 4th and Goal that Dallas failed to convert. Whatever the case, the Cowboys did ultimately punch things in with Javonte Williams once more to narrow things at 23-20.
The Cowboys, shockingly and amazingly, forced another punt on defense which put the offense back at work.
Right before the quarter ended Dak Prescott found Ryan Flournoy, who was having a great game as the moment happened, for a crucial third-down conversion.
Fourth Quarter
It goes without saying that this was the most important drive of the game for the Cowboys. They moved that way, to be clear.
CeeDee Lamb came up huge to help the team overcome a 1st and 25 that came together as the quarter was beginning. While Lamb put them within range, it was Javonte Williams who had the lead-taking touchdown, his third of the day.
For the fourth time in a row, while in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys saw the Texans go only four plays on their drive. The first two of those resulted in points, but the latter two in punts which is what matters most. The point is… Dallas forced a stop and got the ball back with about half of the fourth quarter remaining… up by four to boot.
Last week the team faced a similar situation against Baltimore in Brazil, up by four with half of the final period remaining, and went three and out which was disappointing. This offered a chance at redemption. They immediately faced a 3rd and 8 and… failed to convert. Another three and out with a chance to close.
The Cowboys defense began to bend, but they got the Texans into a 3rd and 19 which seemed promising. Donovan Ezeiruaku got called for a neutral zone infraction which moved Houston closer, but 3rd and 14 is still difficult.
Enter the hook and ladder.
Soon enough Woody Marks dove into the endzone and the Texans re-took the lead. It was 30-27 them which gave Dallas a chance to operate their two-minute warning down by three… just like last week against Baltimore in Brazil.
Brian Schottenheimer spent much of this past week lamenting what that opportunity in Brazil was. He said that he costed his team a chance to win and that he would be better in future situations. Well, here it was, just one week later, for him to make amends.
The Cowboys came out of the two-minute warning facing a third and short where CeeDee Lamb lost yards. They converted and kept the drive alive, but Houston began to burn timeouts as the Cowboys moved, keeping options open.
Brian Schottenheimer made good on his word from last week in that he did not repeat the same mistakes. He trusted his stars, played to win, and Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for the go-ahead score.
Dallas was up 34-30 with under a minute remaining. Demeco Ryans was certainly grateful that he had saved as much time that he could.
The Cowboys successfully defended things in the final moments and locked up the win! Boom!
