Roof falls in on Cowboys as Houston Texans extend Dallas’s slump | NFL

Joe Mixon ran for 3 touchdowns to increase his TD streak to 6 video games since getting back from damage, Derek Barnett returned a fumble 28 yards for a rating, and the Texans beat the Cowboys 34-10 on Monday night time.

The Texans (7-4) stopped simply the second two-game shedding streak of CJ Stroud’s younger profession whereas sustaining a two-game lead within the AFC South.

Houston pulled away within the second-half per week after a 26-23 last-play loss to Detroit at house, when the Texans let a 23-7 half-time lead get away from them.

“It’s not as dangerous because it ever appears, and it’s by no means nearly as good because it ever appears,” Stroud mentioned. “These sort of video games, it’s a must to come out with a win, particularly going up like that on the half [against the Lions]. However what are we going to do about it?”

Amid a woeful season for the Cowboys (3-7) on the sector, particles fell from their stadium’s retractable roof because it was opening a number of hours earlier than the sport. There was no delay and no accidents had been reported, simply one other mishap to foreshadow a fifth consecutive defeat for a crew that misplaced 5 video games whole in every of the previous three seasons.

Cooper Rush threw a 64-yard landing cross to KaVontae Turpin however misplaced his second begin since Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring damage.

The Dallas shedding streak is their longest since a seven-game skid in 2015, and the Cowboys dropped to 0-5 at house. Dallas are the primary crew in NFL historical past to path by at the least 20 factors in six consecutive house video games, together with final season’s wildcard playoff loss to Inexperienced Bay, in line with Sportradar. The Cowboys had reached the playoffs in every of their earlier three seasons, however that run is all however over.

“Properly, they higher be pissed off,” Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned. “I imply, we’re all pissed off. I believe there’d be one thing incorrect in the event that they weren’t pissed off. So simply very sincere with every little thing and keep in tune with what’s proper in entrance of us. And that’s the one means I’ve ever performed it.”

The Cowboys had been down 20-10 early within the fourth quarter when Barnett knocked the ball out of Rush’s hand. Dallas rookie left deal with Tyler Guyton caught it and was attempting to run when Jalen Pitre knocked the ball unfastened once more. Barnett scooped up the ball and scored, though he virtually stepped out of bounds.

“The play he made actually modified for recreation for us,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans mentioned. “It flipped the momentum. It obtained all people juiced up on the sideline. It was simply an enormous play.”

Earlier, the Cowboys appeared to have pulled inside a landing on a 64-yard discipline aim from Brandon Aubrey, however Barnett was penalized for slapping Terence Steele on the frenzy. Dallas erased the factors by taking the penalty, however Rush’s fourth-down cross from the Houston eight-yard line was incomplete on the one good scoring likelihood of the second half for the the Cowboys.

“The protection performed with elite power,” Ryans mentioned. “One massive play that we gave up. Wish to have that one again, however total I believe our guys performed rather well.”

Texans receiver Nico Collins returned after lacking 5 video games with a hamstring damage and took a display cross 77 yards to the top zone on the primary play of the sport, solely to have it known as again due to an ineligible receiver downfield.

That possession ended with a landing anyway on Mixon’s 45-yard dash up the center, and he ran huge for a one-yard rating and a 14-0 lead. Mixon had 109 yards dashing on the day and arrange a discipline aim with a 37-yard catch-and-run on a display.

“I actually love that first play as a result of it confirmed what we may do on this recreation,” Ryans mentioned. “Despite the fact that it obtained known as again, I simply instructed all our guys, ‘We are able to go rating on these guys once more. Simply get it in your thoughts we’re going to attain once more.’”

Already with out Prescott, the Cowboys misplaced tight finish Jake Ferguson to a concussion and perennial All-Professional proper guard Zack Martin and left guard Tyler Smith to ankle accidents. Rush was sacked 5 instances, three on the identical possession when Martin and Smith had been injured.

Stroud, who has been in a mini-slump, threw for 257 yards whereas avoiding any errors after an early interception on fourth down. It was the third time in 5 video games he has gone and not using a landing cross, and he has two TDs and three picks in that stretch.

Rush was 32 of 55 for 354 yards with a landing and an interception. Turpin had three catches for 86 yards.