What a difference a week makes. Last time that we checked, the Dallas Cowboys lost a game when they had a first-and-goal from the two-yard line in the final minute. The coach had to apologize to the team
, the media, and the fans for mistakes on offense, defense, and special teams in the final 30 seconds of the contest. After a tough win in the final minute against the Houston Texans, the storylines have changed.Dallas not only needed an incredible performance from CeeDee Lamb and an MVP-caliber second half from Dak Prescott, but also defensive stops and special teams plays to come back and upset Houston. The Cowboys are now 2-2, tied with the Philadelphia Eagles and one game behind the 3-1 New York Giants for the division lead, and the storylines
are much more positive after Week 4.
Joey Porter Jr. looked like CB1
Injuries decimated the Dallas secondary, but even when healthy, the combo of DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant, and Shavon Revel Jr. hadn’t shown itself to be a great unit. The Cowboys' pass defense ranked among the worst in the league, so the front office traded for Joey Porter Jr.In a game where the Texans looked as good as they have all season offensively, Porter Jr. looked like a top-end cornerback. He played only 16 coverage snaps but allowed no receptions or yards because he wasn’t targeted. It was an excellent first step for the Cowboys' newest defensive addition.
Cowboys get back to goal-to-go Javonte
The Cowboys couldn’t get Javonte Williams going in the first two weeks, but they started to pick it up in Week 3 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The problem was that once they got in goal-to-go situations, the team went away from their bell-cow back. They had second- and third-down conversions from the one-yard line on their opening drive in Week 3 and passed both times, despite their running back averaging over seven yards per attempt. On the final drive, he got a single touch before two passes and then was held to a field goal. On the first goal-to-go chance, they handed the ball to Williams, who ran it in from eight yards out. The next touchdown drive had four goal-to-go plays, three of which were handoffs, including the touchdown. The third goal-to-go drive had two plays: a one-yard run from the three-yard line and a touchdown run from the two by Williams. Dallas has to continue to trust their bruiser back, especially with Tyler Smith returning to the interior of the offensive line soon.
Dak is one play away from being a top MVP candidate
If Prescott had been able to connect with someone on a touchdown to beat Baltimore and then followed it up with this masterclass in Houston, he would likely be up there with Brock Purdy as one of the league's top MVP candidates. Dallas would be on a three-game winning streak and have the same record as the division-leading New York Giants. Prescott struggled in the first half while Houston rushed four and played coverage, but once they blitzed, Dak owned them. They blitzed Prescott seven times but only pressured him once. Dak completed five of seven passes against the blitz for 116 yards. He finished with 335 yards passing even after getting his throwing hand stepped on, the most against the Texans this season and in all of 2025.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dallas storylines after their Week 4 win versus the Texans
