For the ninth time in their in-state rivalry, the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys are set to reignite their flame together this Sunday afternoon from Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The last time these two Texas-based franchises met up in the regular season was back in week 11 of the 2024 season, where the Texans walked into AT&T Stadium and lit up the Cowboys to the tune of a 34-10 victory. This time around, both teams are facing "must-win" circumstances, as the two are a combined 1-5 heading into week four (Texans are 0-3, Cowboys are 1-2).
Ahead of Sunday's contest, Dallas Cowboys Analyst, and Site Expert of Fansided's The Landry Hat, Jerry Trotta joined me to discuss four crucial insights for his team before Sunday's clash.
4 Burning questions ahead of Texas-sized showdown between the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys
Clayton Anderson: The Texans and Cowboys both come into week four still licking their wounds after disappointing, last-second losses the week prior. On Dallas' side of things, what's the morale like heading into this contest?
Jerry Trotta: "I think team morale is in a good place. I’m of the belief that it’s easier to bounce back from a blowout than a last second-loss, but the Cowboys should feel good that they hung with one of the best teams in football despite all of the kinks they are working out on defense. Despite the loss, I feel optimistic about this team’s outlook and I imagine the locker room feels similarly."
CA: The Cowboys currently own the 8th-worst scoring defense in the NFL at 27.3 PPG. Are things actually that bad on that side of the football, or are there schematic things that can improve week over week?
JT: "I think it’s a little bit of both. Christian Parker is a 34-year-old first-time play caller. He’s learning on the job, but has bounced back from getting outclassed against the Giants in Week one. At the same time, two of Dallas’ top three defenders right now are rookies in Caleb Downs and Jaishawn Barham (Quinnen Williams being No. 1). Dee Winters has been unplayable at linebacker and Rashan Gary has made little to no impact. I think this defense will be OK by mid-season, but it’s extremely vulnerable right now."
CA: Speaking of defense, the acquisition of former Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. should ideally infuse the secondary with a higher level of playmaking ability. What's your expectation of his fit in Dallas' defense?
JT: "Much has been made about Porter being one of the better press-man corners in the NFL and Parker calling a zone-heavy defense. However, Porter’s ability to erase one boundary is only going to give Parker more freedom to throw different looks. No defensive coordinator would turn down a cornerback with Porter’s traits. He’s going to help unlock a lot of things for Parker once this secondary is back at full strength."
CA: What are the three keys for a Cowboys victory on Sunday?
JT: "First, don’t let Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter wreck the game. The Cowboys have to send help to starting tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele. Dak Prescott is playing at an extremely high level, but that won’t matter if he doesn’t have time to throw. Second, get pressure on C.J. Stroud – If Dallas’ pass rush can’t get home this week, Jerry Jones might be making more trade calls on Monday. This matchup is set up for Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark to wreak havoc on the inside.
And there were ever a game to unleash first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, who has the highest pass-rush win rate on the team, it’s this one. Third, don’t allow explosive plays - Essentially, make this Texans offense win by a 1,000 paper cuts. The run game is still an issue, but Nico Collins is on track to play. If Dallas can avoid letting Collins get loose in the secondary, I like their chances of winning this game."
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