With the NFL playoffs on the horizon, both Texas teams have shown weaknesses throughout the season and had injuries to key offensive players. Their recent matchup epitomized the average game for each of them: the Houston Texans can — sometimes barely — win over struggling teams, while the Dallas Cowboys’ already lackluster offense cannot do anything without quarterback Dak Prescott, who injured his hamstring in week nine.
On Nov. 18, the Texans routed the Dallas Cowboys 34-10. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 257 yards and one interception with wide receiver Stefon Diggs out for the season. Cowboys starting quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 354 yards, one touchdown and one interception with Dak Prescott also out for the season.
Do not let the blowout win for the Texans deceive Houston fans, though. If there is one takeaway from this rivalry matchup, it is this: the Texans are not as good as they seem, and the Cowboys are abysmal.
Before their game against the Cowboys, Houston only scored a combined total of 15 points in the second half in their previous four games. In their win against the Cowboys, they scored 17 points in the second half. The Texans are far from championship contenders, though. C.J. Stroud has slowed down, being sacked a total of 19 times and throwing for only two touchdown passes in his last five games.
The Texans are still fairly young and figuring things out, but the offensive line needs to provide more protection for their young quarterback for Stroud to tap into his full potential. They still have time to clean up their shaky offense. Their next two games are against division rivals the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars before their bye week in week 14. Should they improve their offense, the Texans could find themselves in a better position come playoff time.
Regarding the playoffs, the Texans are still searching for their first American Football Conference Championship berth since they infamously blew a 24-0 lead to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. They have been eliminated in the divisional round twice in the last five seasons, including last year which was the first season with Stroud as starting quarterback and DeMeco Ryans as head coach. If this new Texans team can find a winning formula, they could potentially challenge big contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs — whom they are facing in week 16 — and find their way to an AFC Championship.
Meanwhile, in Arlington, the Cowboys cannot win at home, as they are 0-5 in AT&T Stadium. Currently sitting at 3-7, the Cowboys have already failed to match last season’s success where they finished 12-5 and won their division. With seven games remaining, there is still time to salvage a Wild Card berth if Dallas can change everything about their team. Considering they probably need to win at least six of the remaining seven, the odds are not looking good.
Since their last Super Bowl win in 1995, the Cowboys have been stuck in a cycle of mediocrity for nearly three decades. They have not reached a National Football Conference championship game since and have repeated early exits in the playoffs.
Of all the six head coaches that Jerry Jones has hired since their last championship, none of them have provided any true improvement. In Mike McCarthy’s fourth season coaching the Cowboys, their progress is stagnant and their recent outing on their home field is proof of it. It is time for the Cowboys to have a real general manager who can light a fire under the coaching staff instead of having the owner do all the managing.
