Texans-Cowboys preview
6 critical elements that could tip the scales in Texans' clash with Cowboys on MNF
Nov 18, 2024, 10:28 am
Nico Collins is expected to play versus the Cowboys. Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images.
Houston (6-4) at Dallas (3-6)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN
BetMGM NFL Odds: Texans by 7 1/2.
Against the spread: Texans 4-5-1; Cowboys 2-7.
Series record: Cowboys lead 4-2.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Texans 27-23 on Dec. 11, 2022, in Arlington, Texas.
Last week: Texans lost to Lions 26-23; Cowboys lost to Eagles 34-6.
Texans offense: overall (15), rush (18), pass (15), scoring (17)
Texans defense: overall (3), rush (11), pass (4), scoring (19)
Cowboys offense: overall (21), rush (31), pass (10), scoring (23)
Cowboys defense: overall (26), rush (31), pass (11), scoring (31)
Turnover differential: Texans plus-7; Cowboys minus-10.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon is coming off a season-worst average of 1.8 yards per carry against the Lions in just his second game with fewer than 100 yards rushing this season. His 46 yards on 25 carries came against the NFL's No. 7 run defense. Now Mixon is back to facing the league's second-worst run defense, which he did in a 102-yard showing at Indianapolis last month. Mixon did score against Detroit, giving him at least one touchdown in all five games since returning from a high ankle sprain.
Cowboys player to watch
All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb won't have Dak Prescott for the the rest of the season after the franchise QB had season-ending surgery on his torn hamstring. The first game without Prescott was dismal for the Dallas passing game. The Cowboys netted 49 yards through the air, their lowest total since 2001. Lamb had six catches, but for just 21 yards as Dallas averaged a paltry 1.5 yards per attempt. Dallas' fading hopes will be gone if those numbers don't improve.
Key matchup
Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons vs. Texans QB C.J. Stroud. Parsons was fantastic in his return from a high ankle sprain, which led to a four-game absence that was his first for injury in the NFL. Parsons sacked Jalen Hurts twice in the loss to the Eagles, the second forcing a fumble that gave Dallas a chance to take a second-quarter lead. It's been a rough four-game stretch for Stroud, but the reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year did showcase his mobility with 59 yards rushing two games ago in a loss to the New York Jets. He completed just 11 of 30 passes against New York and has two TD passes and two interceptions over the past four games.
Key injuries
WR Nico Collins has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury for the Texans, who already have lost WR Stefon Diggs to a season-ending knee injury. Collins was closer to a return last week and is expected to start against Dallas. ... DE Will Anderson Jr., who is tied for fifth in the NFL with 7 1/2 sacks, didn't practice Thursday because of an ankle issue. ... CB Kamari Lassiter, who became the fourth Texans rookie with two interceptions in a game as Houston had five against Detroit, was listed with a concussion on the injury report and didn't practice Thursday. ... Cowboys LG Tyler Smith had his left leg wrapped and worked with a trainer during the portion of practice open to reporters Wednesday. Smith was listed as limited in practice Thursday. ... FB Hunter Luepke (calf) and CB Jourdan Lewis (neck) weren't practicing to start the week. ... LB DeMarvion Overshown is expected to play after injuring a knee against the Eagles. He missed all of his rookie season in 2023 with a torn knee ligament.
Series notes
Dallas has won four of five since losing to the expansion Texans in Houston in their inaugural game in 2002. The Cowboys are 3-0 at home in the series.
Stats and stuff
The NFL's two Texas teams have just one victory between them over the past month. Houston is 1-3 since a 5-1 start, while still leading the AFC South. The defending NFC East champion Cowboys are sinking from playoff contention quickly with their first four-game losing streak since 2020, the most recent time they didn't qualify for the postseason. Dallas hasn't lost more than four in a row since 2015, when a seven-game skid matched the number of games quarterback Tony Romo missed with a broken collarbone. This will be the second game without Prescott. ... The Cowboys are 0-4 at home. They haven't started 0-5 or worse at home since losing all eight games at old Texas Stadium while finishing 1-15 in 1989, the year owner Jerry Jones bought the team. Dallas won 16 consecutive games at AT&T Stadium before the current skid, which is five losses when including a wild-card defeat to Green Bay in January. ... The Cowboys are making their 86th appearance on “Monday Night Football,” second to Miami's 89. Their 50 victories are third behind Pittsburgh (54) and San Francisco (52). The Texans are on MNF for the first time since 2019. It's the last of three consecutive prime-time games for Houston. ... Stroud has gone four consecutive games with a passer rating below 100. The longest such streak of his rookie season was three. ... Third-year Texans WR John Metchie III, who missed his rookie year undergoing treatment for leukemia, had career highs with five catches for 74 yards and his first-ever TD against the Lions. ... TE Dalton Schultz faces the Cowboys for the first time since signing with Houston in free agency last year. Schultz had 2,122 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns in five seasons with Dallas. He needs 55 yards to reach 1,000 with the Texans and is coming off a season-high 66 yards last week. ... Cowboys QB Cooper Rush is expected to start again after he and Trey Lance were ineffective in the first game without Prescott. Rush won his first five starts filling in for Prescott in 2021-22, but has lost the past two, both to the Eagles. ... Overshown leads the Cowboys with four sacks. He matched Parsons with two against Philadelphia. ... CB Trevon Diggs had his 20th career interception. The 26-year-old is the second youngest in franchise history to reach 20.
Fantasy tip
Opposing quarterbacks are averaging more than two touchdown passes in the past five Dallas home games. Stroud is a good play despite the recent struggles, and he has kept the interceptions under control.
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For a second straight season, the Houston Texans will be without Tank Dell to end the regular season and for the playoffs after the dynamic receiver suffered another major injury.
“It’s tough to see guys get injured, the work that guys put in, how much they put their bodies on the line to play this game,” Ryans said. “It’s deeper than football. We are talking about real people who have real emotions and real feelings who are going through a tough time right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in that situation.”
The AFC South champion Texans will have to regroup quickly with a visit from the Ravens coming on Christmas Day. Dell’s injury is another blow to a team that was already missing Stefon Diggs after the four-time Pro Bowl receiver sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.
Dell ranks second on the team with 51 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns behind Nico Collins, who has 909 yards receiving and six scores.
Tight end Dalton Schultz has 482 yards receiving and two touchdowns and running back Joe Mixon 291 yards receiving and a touchdown grab. But with Dell and Diggs out, the Texans are thin at receiver.
John Metchie, who has just 182 yards receiving this season, could fill in for Diggs this week, but his status is uncertain after he missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury.
“There is a chance John could be back,” Ryans said. “I think he’s progressing, so we’ll see where he ends up on Wednesday.”
Other options at the position are veteran Robert Woods, who has just 143 yards receiving this season, and Xavier Hutchinson, who nine catches. Houston claimed former Ravens receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers on Monday, so he could factor in at some point.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud, one of Dell’s closest friends, was distraught after Dell’s injury and remained upset after the game. He said it will be difficult for the team to bounce back after losing Dell to a serious injury again.
“The easy answer is to tell you something to make everybody feel nice, but it’s not the truth right now,” he said after the game. “The truth is that it’s not easy seeing your brother go down like that. (Sunday) we’ll have to get recovery, get ready for Wednesday because it’s another big-time opponent. The Ravens are a great team. It’ll be a playoff atmosphere on Christmas Day.”
Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap previews the Texans' Christmas Day matchup with the Ravens!
What's working
Stroud distributed the ball well Saturday, completing passes to six different players. Dell led the way with six receptions for 98 yards and Collins had seven receptions for 60 yards while being double-teamed often.
With teams likely to place even more emphasis on stopping Collins with Dell out, Stroud will need to continue to spread the ball around against the Ravens.
What needs help
The Texans continue to struggle in the red zone and converted just 1 of 3 opportunities Saturday. This comes after they were also 1 of 3 in a win over the Jaguars in Week 13 and converted just 2 of 4 chances in a loss to the Titans in Week 12.
“We had our opportunities, and it just comes down to as simple as guys being in the right spot,” Ryans said. “We just have to make the plays. We have to finish and that’s all it comes down to.”
Stock up
LB Christian Harris had seventh tackles and a sack against the Chiefs in his second game of the season after missing the first 13 with a calf injury. His sack was Houston’s 46th of the season, which ties a franchise record that was set last season.
Stock down
K Ka’imi Fairbairn missed an extra point Saturday. He’s been excellent from long range this season, making 13 field goals longer than 50 yards. But has struggled on shorter kicks, missing two from less than 30 yards before Saturday’s PAT miss.
Injuries
S Jimmie Ward injured his foot Saturday and could miss the rest of the season. … G Shaq Mason injured his knee against the Chiefs and will likely miss Wednesday’s game.
Key number
10 — Dell’s touchdown Saturday was the 10th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Andre Johnson for most TD catches by a Texans through their first two seasons.
Next steps
The Texans look for their first win over Baltimore since 2014 after five consecutive wins by the Ravens, including a 34-10 victory in the divisional round of the playoffs last season.