Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports The latest Dallas Cowboys news off of a primetime loss. Texans-Cowboys on ‘Monday Night Football’: What We Learned from Houston’s 34-10 win – Nick Shook, NFL.com The opportunities for the Cowboys to get a home win are slipping away. A two-touchdown first half from running back Joe Mixon and a stellar defensive showing, keyed by a Derek Barnett strip-sack that he turned into a score, got the Houston Texans back on the winning track. Snapping a two-game skid, the Texans won the Battle of Texas on Monday night, defeating the host Dallas Cowboys, 34-10. While Houston got back to its winning ways, the Cowboys continued a trying season, losing their fifth in a row and falling to 0-5 at home. Cowboys close AT&T Stadium roof for MNF after piece of metal falls onto field – Staff, 105.3 The Fan The night went from bad to worse before the game even began for the Cowboys on Monday night. The Cowboys’ staff began to open the retractable roof just after 4:00 p.m. central on Monday. About 20-25 minutes into its opening, a piece of sheet metal “about five yards long and a yard-and-a-half wide” came down from the roof and landed near one of the end zones, Cowboys sideline reporter Kristi Scales told Eric Chiofalo and Bryan Broaddus on the Cowboys pregame show on 105.3 The Fan. Scales said she saw the piece of metal wafting down from the sky and land in a corner of the field between one of the goal lines and the 10-yard line. No one was injured. The Cowboys elected to close the roof for the rest of the night as a precaution due to high winds North Texas was experiencing on Monday afternoon. This would have been the 8th time the team played with an open roof and closed doors. Cowboys’ Jake Ferguson suffers concussion against Texans – Todd Archer, ESPN.com Already very limited on offense, the Cowboys were without TE Jake Ferguson for most of the night after he suffered a concussion. Ferguson had one catch for 11 yards on the Cowboys’ first possession and was not targeted again before his injury was announced. Ferguson entered the game as the Cowboys’ second-leading pass catcher behind wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Without Ferguson, the Cowboys have Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Princeton Fant at tight end. They combined for 10 catches in the first nine games of the season. Fant was elevated from the practice squad Monday with fullback Hunter Luepke inactive because of a calf injury. Ferguson suffered a sprained knee in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns and did not play in the Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Of the Cowboys’ 22 starters in the season opener, 11 players have missed games because of injuries, including quarterback Dak Prescott, who was placed on injured reserve Monday after undergoing season-ending hamstring surgery last week. 3 thoughts on Dallas Cowboys inevitable loss to Texans: 5th straight setback, still winless at home – Clarence Hill, AllDLLS.com The Cowboys were forced into a hopeless, one-dimensional passing offense versus the Texans defense. Here are three thoughts on the loss to the Texans: 1. The passing stats of Cooper Rush made no sense. Rush completed 32 of 55 passes for 355 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the game. That would seem logical in a game that was long out of reach. But going into the fourth quarter, Rush had 39 pass attempts to just 13 rushing attempts for the team. And the Cowboys were down just 20-10 after three quarters. While most of the attempts were short passes, that is simply not the kind of game Rush is going to win. He had an awful interception in the first quarter that took points off the board and many off target throws that were simply out of his wheel house. It didn’t help that the Cowboys had little success when they did run the ball. Rico Dowdle had 28 yards on 10 attempts. Of course, as the Cowboys have said many times this season. He didn’t enough opportunities. Dallas Cowboys vs Houston Texans: Dallas blown out again 34-10 for fifth straight loss – Jess Haynie, Blogging The Boys It’s copy and paste for the Dallas Cowboys amidst their five-game losing streak right now. 4th Quarter Things went from bad to worse in the final quarter. Houston’s offense was held to another punt, but then the Cowboys shot themselves in both feet. Cooper Rush was sacked by Derek Barnett and fumbled, which OT Tyler Guyton grabbed and tried to run with. He was quickly swarmed and had the ball knocked out again, and Barnett finished the play with a recovery and touchdown. That was about it for meaningful moments in this game. The teams traded punts, Dallas turned it over on downs, and the Texans took advantage of a short field with Mixon’s third touchdown of the night. The beat-up Cowboys suffered more injuries in garbage time. Tyler Guyton left the game with a shoulder injury after that failed fumble recovery, and then both Zack Martin and Tyler Smith went down on a later drive. Dak Prescott’s reaction to terrible fake punt sums up laughingstock Cowboys – Mike Luciano, The Landry Hat For the second time in three weeks, the Cowboys failed on an early fake punt that reeked of desperation. Prescott, watching from the stands as he recovers from his injury, had a look of stunned silence on his face. The Cowboys season isn’t just getting flushed away, but it’s getting flushed in utterly comedic fashion, making it all the more painful. Dak’s reaction to the fake punt from the ESPN broadcast pic.twitter.com/XrwwmxqeIB — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 19, 2024 The Cowboys got immediately bailed out on the next possession, as CJ Stroud threw an interception on fourth down. That doesn’t mean that Dallas is in a position to take over this game, as Houston punched them in the mouth
Overmatched Cowboys add more injuries to insulting play in fifth straight loss, 34-10 to Texans
Overmatched Cowboys add more injuries to insulting play in fifth straight loss, 34-10 to Texans K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys placed QB Dak Prescott on injured reserve prior to Monday night’s contest against the Houston Texans. The Week 11 move was anticipated for the last several weeks, but the fact it took so long to make was a significant admission. There’s no cavalry coming, so the need for the roster spot wasn’t really a pressing issue for the 3-6 Cowboys. Make that 3-7, as the club was once again in a street fight without any weapons in falling to the Texans 34-10. The club’s fifth straight defeat came with the required number of head scratches and face palms pretty much from the onset of the game. Dallas gave up big plays, turned the ball over and had a myriad of new injuries to keep piling on the miserable season. Dallas saw three different starting offensive linemen leave the contest with injuries, along with their starting tight end. Jake Ferguson suffered a concussion early on, and then the second half saw Tyler Guyton, Zack Martin and Tyler Smith all get knocked out; the latter two within three plays of each other. With Cooper Rush continuing to struggle to push the ball downfield on a regular basis, the Dallas defense was once again asked to do something they were incapable of doing. The Houston offense scored on a 77-yard opening play that was called back, but were undaunted with numerous big plays. CJ Stroud released the ball quickly, often finding his returning star WR Nico Collins, on the way to 257 passing yards. He didn’t throw for a score, but it wasn’t necessary with RB Joe Mixon adding three touchdowns on 109 rushing yards. In comparison Rush threw for over 300 yards, but Mike McCarhty’s non-existent commitment to the running game saw Dallas rush just 16 times compared to over 50 passing attempts. The Cowoys offense remains disfunctional as the team lost their sixth straight home game Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys vs Texans recap: Social media reaction to another embarrassing beat down
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Cowboys fans are understandably unhappy again this week. The Houston Texans had never beaten the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T stadium, but on Monday Night Football that changed. The Texans helped Dallas keep things close for a while but they soon pulled away in the fourth quarter and left Cowboys fans frustrated and upset. Here’s what social media had to say as the game developed. It looked bleak to begin with. Lots of empty seats AT&T Stadium. lots of red too — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) November 19, 2024 The game started and Nico Collins took the ball to the house on the first play. Cowboys were saved by a flag. Don’t let that flag distract you from the awful angles from the safeties — Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) November 19, 2024 Texans drive with ease down the field and finish with a Joe Mixon touchdown. Gonna be a long long night. #Cowboys — Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) November 19, 2024 MIXON. 45-YARD TD. : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Z3C33tMXWN — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 Longest rushing touchdown against Dallas this season. Feels like that may be the first of many records coming tonight #DallasCowboys — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) November 19, 2024 A fight broke out which is telling of the Cowboys players frustration levels. A scuffle breaks out after the ensuing Texans kickoff. KaVontae Turpin and Markquese Bell get into it with Texans CB M.J. Stewart. No flags but a lot of pushing and shoving. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 19, 2024 Cowboys try a fake punt. Cowboys fail the fake punt. John Fassel what are you doing man — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) November 19, 2024 Houston then goes for it on fourth down and Malik Hooker makes the catch. Malik Hooker with the interception and the Cowboys’ defense makes the first big play of the game. At least for the home team. — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) November 19, 2024 Malik Hooker INT! pic.twitter.com/O5nSwRrmhY — Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) November 19, 2024 Cooper Rush gives it right back. nails on a chalkboard, this offense is — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 19, 2024 Joe Mixon scores another touchdown. Texans turn the Cooper Rush interception into Joe Mixon’s second TD of the game. It’s Houston, 14-0, with 49 seconds left in the first quarter. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) November 19, 2024 Joe Mixon scores his second TD of the first quarter! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VCbhNs0BOh — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 Second quarter started with bad news on Jake Ferguson. Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) has been ruled out. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 19, 2024 KaVontae Turpin for 64 yards and a score. KaVontae Turpin with a catch and run and the Cowboys are back in this game. It’s a 64-yard touchdown reception. — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) November 19, 2024 64-yard house call : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/86VgER4mlC — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 19, 2024 Brandon Aubrey gets on the score sheet with a field goal. Brandon Aubrey from 53 yards. Piece of cake. — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) November 19, 2024 The Cowboys don’t deserve to win this game But the Texans deserve to lose it — David Howman (@_DH44_) November 19, 2024 Dallas in the redzone, it’s fourth down and Mike McCarthy goes for it. Fails for the second time. I guess Mike McCarthy doesn’t have anything to lose and you might as well be aggressive, but taking points off the board with a backup QB just felt like asking for trouble. I don’t *really* hate it because what the hell. but yeah I think I’d have just taken the fg. — David Helman (@davidhelman_) November 19, 2024 After that decision on 4th & 2… https://t.co/Q5Pw0HitRr — Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) November 19, 2024 Texans defense cause the fumble and score off a whacky play. Guyton allowed a sack and lost a fumble on the same play. — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 19, 2024 TEXANS FORCE TWO FUMBLES ON THE SAME PLAY. AND RETURN IT FOR THE TD! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/t1vZ27JVXv — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 LOTS of Dallas Cowboys fans filing out of AT&T Stadium. There’s 12:31 left in the game on Monday Night Football. — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) November 19, 2024 Guyton goes down injured, then Zack Martin, then Tyler Smith. Zack Martin and Tyler Smith are hurt in the same sequence. Not good for the interior OL for Dallas. T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman in the game. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) November 19, 2024 Things are just sad for this team. Dallas penalized for 12 men on the field. — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) November 19, 2024 Think about how difficult it is to do this THIS MANY GAMES IN A ROW https://t.co/RSi4u24NGc — Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) November 19, 2024 Mixon scores a third touchdown. Joe MIxon scores his third TD of the night! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LpthbVMZsk — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 A tough night. Texans fans having a good time. pic.twitter.com/LcCCVYuRMA — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) November 19, 2024
Mike McCarthy calls baffling gameplan in loss to Houston Texans
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Mike McCarthy had a rough Monday night performance. The Dallas Cowboys lost yet another game on Monday, this time losing to the Houston Texans 34-10. The Cowboys were underdogs heading into the game, as they likely will be for every game the rest of the season except maybe against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving and the Carolina Panthers on December 15. When a team is facing the landslide of injuries that Dallas is, it’s important to have a well-coached game to overcome the lack of talent available. Mike McCarthy did everything in his power to make life more difficult for the Cowboys on Monday. The first glaring mistake was running a fake punt early in the first quarter. On their own 30-yard line, punter Bryan Anger threw a pass short of the line to gain which set the Texans up for the first touchdown of the game. THE #COWBOYS ARE AWFUL Cowboys tried a fake punt from their own 30 yard line… it failed miserably setting up the Texans to go up to scores in the first quarter. It is the second failed punt by Dallas in just a couple weeks. pic.twitter.com/XsrqqRpdCa — MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 19, 2024 His second glaring mistake came in the second half when he took points off the board but failed to re-capture those points when the opportunity presented itself. Kicker Brandon Aubrey had just drilled a 64-yard field goal, bringing the Cowboys within seven points. However, McCarthy chose to accept a penalty committed by the Houston Texans which took the field goal off the scoreboard and gave Dallas a new set of downs. They were then unable later to convert a fourth-down attempt, ultimately coming away with zero points on the possession. Knowing how bad the Cowboys offense had been up to that point, it felt questionable to not take the field goal the second time and make it a one-possession game instead of going for it on fourth down. The most glaring problem with McCarthy on Monday wasn’t a single play. Nor was it the consistent penalties and poor play-calling. QB Cooper Rush finished the game with 55 pass attempts. That is simply absurd. When Rush had success as a starter the last time Prescott was hurt, it was because he was able to be a reliable ‘game-manager’ at the position. He didn’t throw for a ton of yards, but he made the right plays. Forcing any quarterback to throw 55 times in a game is a recipe for failure, but Rush hasn’t shown that he has the arm talent to consistently stretch the ball down the field. Despite McCarthy saying earlier in the week that RB Rico Dowdle would receive more carries, he finished with just a mere 10 on Monday night. The Cowboys run game wasn’t very effective in fairness to McCarthy, but they didn’t scheme ways to get guys like KaVontae Turpin the ball in space on jet sweeps. They did utilize CeeDee Lamb a little in this way, but they could have been more creative running the ball then calling the same stale scheme. And that doesn’t even mention the possibilities if they would have given Trey Lance some opportunities. The Cowboys are facing an uphill battle the rest of the season without their starting quarterback. However, their head coach continues to hurt them more than help them, and is making his seat even warmer come this offseason.
4 big takeaways from Cowboys getting throttled by Texans in Week 11
Play design matters . (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) KaVontae Turpin isn’t a great receiver, but Mike McCarthy gave him an easy play to work with on his 64-yard TD catch. It was a simple slant route from a spread formation using his speed to take it to the house. His breakaway catch and run was over 22 mph, which according to Next Gen Stats is the fastest of any player this season. This factoid is an indictment on a coaching staff that’s targeted him just 28 times and given him just five carries prior to tonight. Speed kills in the NFL and the Cowboys haven’t used their fastest killer enough on the offensive side of the ball this season. Effort remains Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images Jerry Jones once begrudgingly fired Wade Phillips midseason because he believed his team had given up on the head coach. It seemed clear from the start of the season the only way Mike McCarthy would meet the same fate is if he gave Jones the same cause. Say what one will about this roster, but this team has not quit. Young players and veteran alike were working hard for the blue star on Monday Night Football. It was especially good to see Trevon Diggs lead blocking for Malik Hooker on the first half interception. Diggs gets heat for his disinterest in tackling, and rightfully so, but it’s not because of selfishness or lack of physicality. Cornerbacks just don’t like to tackle players twice their size. Diggs showed he has plenty of fight in him even if he’s not hawking balls play after play. On Turpin’s long catch and run, it was Rico Dowdle downfield blocking with extra effort. The 2024 Cowboys may not be very disciplined in their assignments, but they aren’t quitters and that’s something to rebuild around. Throws beyond the sticks Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cowboys offense obviously suffered an enormous loss when Dak Prescott was lost to a hamstring injury for the rest of the season. In previous years, Cooper Rush was up to the task and the offense was able to survive. But in 2024 it’s behind a rebuilding offensive line and alongside a stripped-down receiver corps, making it a difficult task. Throws beyond the sticks is a great way to gauge an offense’s trust in the passing game. Not all offenses are designed to create run after the catch and Mike McCarthy’s offense is a perfect example of such an offense. Throwing beyond the sticks is a required element in his offense yet he was extremely hesitant to unleash Rush. Excluding the final two minutes of each half, Rush threw just nine passes beyond the sticks upon first review; less than 50% were completions, and one resulted in an interception. To re-sign or not re-sign, that is the question , Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) Chauncey Golston, the Cowboys’ third round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has developed into a real NFL player this season. There’s a world where he’s even a key player on a legit playoff caliber defense. He keeps his assignments, plays the run, and works hard for scrappy pressures. He’s not a pass rusher but he’s not a liability on passing downs either. Injuries have forced the Cowboys to give him opportunities this season and they’ve been rewarded for playing him. The only problem is Golston is a free agent in 2025. With so many players making big money on the roster, it will be tough for the Cowboys to justify middle class level contracts like him, but Golston might be cheap enough and solid enough to justify it this winter. He’s a free agent to watch. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Related articles
Dallas Cowboys vs Houston Texans: Dallas battles back, trail 17-10 at the half
Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Follow along with the action for Cowboys vs Texans 2nd Quarter The next quarter opened with bad news; TE Jake Ferguson was ruled out of the game with a concussion from the previous drive. But the offense found something to feel good about when Rush hit KaVontae Turpin out of the slot for a 64-yard touchdown! 64-yard house call : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/86VgER4mlC — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 19, 2024 After a muffed kickoff return that put them on their own 8-yard-line, the Texans went 77 yards thanks largely to a 37-yard pass to Mixon. The drive stalled out in the redzone, but Houston did come away with three points off a short field goal. Dallas got well within Brandon Aubrey’s range on their next possession, setting up the answer with his 53-yard field goal. As it turns out, it gave Aubrey another line in the history books. Brandon Aubrey made his 20th career field goal of 50-or-more yards and also became the first kicker in NFL history to make 10 field goals from 50-plus yards in consecutive seasons. — Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) November 19, 2024 The Cowboys’ defense stepped up on the next drive, holding Houston to 19 yards and forcing a punt. It gave the offense time to get down into scoring position and another field goal attempt. But Aubrey’s plant foot slipped and caused a miss from 40 yards out, his first miss at home since joining Dallas. Houston went three-and-out on their next possession, punting the ball with just 37 seconds left on the clock. The Cowboys took some shots down the field but didn’t get far, and ultimately headed into the locker room with a 17-10 deficit. 1st Quarter Houston started with the ball and it felt like they’d set a dominant tone right away. The first play was a 77-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins that got called back on a penalty. But the Texans kept rolling and eventually scored on a 45-yard run by Joe Mixon. JOE MIXON 45 YARDS TO THE HOUSE! pic.twitter.com/oCIE50hZ51 — ESPN (@espn) November 19, 2024 The Cowboys gained just 19 yards on their first possession and then attempted another poorly executed fake punt. Bryan Anger lofted the ball to Juanyeh Thomas behind the 1st-down marker and the Texans stopped him, getting the ball back in excellent field position. But a bad throw by C.J. Stroud fell in the lap of Malik Hooker, giving Dallas some life. Malik Hooker picks off Stroud on 4th down! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/obnLz5ZDXQ — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 Dallas hot-potatoed the momentum right back to Houston on the next drive. After a couple of positive plays from Jake Ferguson and CeeDee Lamb, Cooper Rush hit Texans’ CB Derek Stingley Jr. for the interception. Derek Stingley Jr. will take that! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/DCS5SLN4vC — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 The Texans marched again, including a 4th-down conversion in the redzone, before capping the drive with another Mixon touchdown. Joe Mixon scores his second TD of the first quarter! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VCbhNs0BOh — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 Follow Blogging The Boys Everywhere Follow Blogging The Boys on X (formerly Twitter) Follow Blogging The Boys on Instagram Follow Blogging The Boys on Facebook Subscribe to the Blogging The Boys YouTube Channel Notable Recent News The Cowboys are going deep into the bench tonight with wide receiver Ryan Flournoy getting his first start. Recently traded-for Jonathan Mingo is also expected to play, indicating lesser roles potentially for Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin (with Jalen Brooks inactive) as Dallas tries to shake up its stagnant offense. Injury Updates CB DaRon Bland will not play tonight as the All-Pro continues recovering from a preseason foot injury. Dallas is likely playing it safe with Bland given the state of their season. Jourdan Lewis will also be out with a neck issue, leaving the Cowboys very thin at cornerback. FB Hunter Luepke is also inactive with a reportedly minor calf injury. NFL News Relevant To The Cowboys The Giants have benched QB Daniel Jones, looking to avoid any injury that could trigger clauses in his contract. Dallas will likely see Tommy DeVito in the Thanksgiving game. Rookie RB Jonathon Brooks, who many Cowboys fans pined for in the 2024 Draft, is expected to finally make his debut for the Panthers this Sunday. Brooks has been rehabbing from an ACL surgery last year which hurt his draft stock, but was generally considered the best prospect in the class. Up Next For The Cowboys Dallas finally has its first 2024 meeting with the Commanders. Washington isn’t riding as high after two losses and losing NFC East control to the Eagles, but they’re still in a much better place right now than the Cowboys. Hosting their struggling rivals should be good medicine for the Commanders and more misery for America’s Team.
Cowboys vs Texans inactives: CeeDee Lamb good to go
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images CeeDee Lamb is ACTIVE for the Cowboys The Cowboys are almost set for Monday Night Football, hoping to close out Week 11 with a win over their in-state rival (if you can call them that), the Houston Texans. Now, with the inactives list out, we know who will be playing after the Cowboys had a particularly lengthy injury report this week. #Cowboys inactives vs. Texans: Jourdan LewisHunter LuepkeDaRon Bland Damone ClarkJalen BrooksKJ HenryMatt Waletzko Other transactions ⬇️ https://t.co/Y3ce60pOZC — Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) November 18, 2024 It’s been a tough year for injuries in Dallas, but this week saw a whopping 19 players on the injury report, including both Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. We know Prescott is out for the rest of the year, but he wasn’t officially placed on the injured reserve until earlier today. The big news, though, is that CeeDee Lamb is active and will be suiting up for tonight’s prime time matchup. Lamb was a late addition to the report with a back injury sustained in practice this week, but the star receiver will play. While Lamb will suit up tonight, several starters who were on the injury report will not. That includes Jourdan Lewis and DaRon Bland, the latter of whom has yet to play this year. Fullback Hunter Luepke is also inactive with an injury. It’s expected that Israel Mukuamu will man the slot in Lewis’ absence while Josh Butler – who was signed to the active roster when Prescott was placed on the injured reserve – will start outside instead of rookie Caelen Carson. Interestingly, both Damone Clark and Jalen Brooks will be inactive for the first time this year, making way for both Ryan Flournoy and recently-acquired Jonathan Mingo to play. Also inactive are K.J. Henry and Matt Waletzko. Tonight’s inactives for #HOUvsDAL ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wbCTiqFy6t — Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) November 18, 2024 As for the Texans, they’ll be without a few key defensive players, notably star edge rusher Will Anderson and rookie corner Kamari Lassiter. Anderson missed last week’s game too. Lassiter has been having a strong season on the outside of this defense, but won’t be able to go, perhaps making things a bit easier on Cooper Rush.
Breaking, Literally: AT&T Stadium roof piece falls on field before Cowboys-Texans
Breaking, Literally: AT&T Stadium roof piece falls on field before Cowboys-Texans Todd Brock Cowboys fans may have thought nothing else could go wrong this season. As if. For a brief period late Monday afternoon when it looked as though the retractable roof at AT&T Stadium would be open for Monday night’s primetime meeting with the Houston Texans. Now that’s in doubt after some sort of mechanical issue sent a giant piece of metal fall to the turf below and left more torn-away scrap hanging in the rafters. Stadium workers began opening the roof several hours before kickoff, signalling a rather rare event for the venue that first opened in 2009. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones famously said recently- after the most recent complaints about the setting sun shining through the east/west-oriented windows causing problems for players- that the stadium, with its glass walls and retractable roof, was constructed to mimic the feel of an outdoor venue. Yet the roof hadn’t been opened for a game in two years, and it’s been opened for less than 25% of all Cowboys games ever played there. With perfect conditions forecast for Monday night (and possibly to distract slightly from the team’s godawful 3-6 record), Jones and the team made the decision to open the roof for the nationally-televised game. But shortly after the roof opened, a large piece of metal fell from the structure. Media members from the various TV outlets were already on the field doing pregame reports. The debris is seen in video posted by NBC DFW’s Noah Bullard. The roof was closed again and per The Athletic‘s Jon Machota, crews are investigating, ostensibly to determine whether or not it can be safely opened again. Update: The mandated 90-minute countdown to kickoff has started. The roof will officially remain closed for the game, as it would have had to have been opened prior to that deadline. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] While there were thankfully no injuries, the punchlines surrounding the incident in this “train wreck” of a Cowboys season will write themselves for some time. ESPN’s Ryan Clark, speaking from the Monday Night Countdown desk set up on the turf at the stadium, cracked, “The bottom done already fell out in Dallas; the top might as well, too.” Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys get struggling Texans team in first of 2 Monday night games left on season
Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Will the Cowboys get their first home win of the season on Monday night? The Dallas Cowboys do not have much left to play for on the 2024 season. This has been the case at really any point throughout their current four-game losing streak, starting with a 47-9 home loss to the Detroit Lions and most recently being extended with another blowout home loss, 34-6, to the Philadelphia Eagles. The loss to the Eagles was the first start for QB Cooper Rush, with Dak Prescott officially out for the season, only adding to how much this season has slipped away. Even for those that believed all along this year was about resetting the roster and the start of a rebuild, the Cowboys have found a way to be worse than even these non-contending expectations. They have not scored a touchdown in eight straight quarters playing at home to drop their AT&T Stadium record to 0-4. This record will again be on the line Monday night when the Cowboys host a Houston Texans team that’s also lost three of their last four. The Cowboys are still not favorites to get their first home win of the season in primetime, but may find themselves asking if not now, when? This Week 11 game will mark a significant date for the Cowboys as it is their second-to-last primetime game of the season. Their on-field performances this year have hardly been worthy of the national audiences this team feels they always deserve, and they’ve filled this void in a way only the Cowboys can with distracting stories about curtains on stadium windows and fake belief in a slew of coaches playing out the final year of their contract. The Cowboys home opponents following the Texans are the Giants on Thanksgiving, Bengals, Buccaneers, and Commanders. All but the Giants have a better record than the Cowboys currently. This Monday night versus the Texans needs to be a showing of Mike McCarthy’s team looking prepared and ready to take advantage of any area they can gain an advantage. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Pushing the ball downfield has been a struggle for the Texans offense ever since losing Stefon Diggs for the season. They are 12-32 on third down over the last two weeks, losses at the Jets and against the Lions. In that most recent loss against the Lions, the Texans generated five takeaways on defense and still blew a 23-7 first half lead by getting shutout in the second half with two turnovers of their own, four punts, and a missed field goal. The Lions won on a last second field goal 26-23, spoiling the Texans’ chance to be the only AFC South team to win in Week 10 and further their grip on the division. Going into Monday night, the Texans still hold a two-game lead in the loss column over the Colts as the only other team within striking distance of catching them. This cushion, paired with the incredibly low-hanging fruit that is the current state of disarray of the Cowboys, has the home team in this matchup catching strays on the network that will air the game. “Just keep putting Dallas in those high-profile windows. They just keep losing games. That is a train wreck…” – Kirk Herbstreit during an ESPN promo for Texans-Cowboys MNF “Other than that, what’s your opinion on the Cowboys?”- Rece Davis ️ pic.twitter.com/FXihwctZtV — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 16, 2024 As the lens through which fans and followers of America’s Team has changed on a weekly basis though, the matchups are there for this Monday night to somehow be an even higher level of concern should the Cowboys be blown out again. With a win, Dallas still shouldn’t be taken seriously in a crowded NFC playoff race, but they can at least feel better about not risking entering the season’s final month of December without a home win. The Texans’ best win is at home against the Bills, but their other five wins aren’t much to write home about by way of beating the Colts twice already, Bears, Jaguars, and Patriots. Their 41-21 win over the Patriots in Week 6 that extended their longest win streak of the season to three games was the only time they’ve broken the 30 point mark this year. C.J. Stroud has been sacked 35 times this season, the third most in the league. In a league starved for more contending teams, the 2024 Texans are one of the easiest teams to overrate. They were anointed as being incredibly far ahead of schedule last year with rookie sensation Stroud at QB, and were aggressive enough in free agency to back this up and try to be a real threat in the conference in Stroud’s second year. With the AFC being dominated by the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, and Steelers so far, there is room for another team to join the mix, and the Texans can hardly afford a loss to the 3-6 Cowboys if they hope to be that team. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images In most of the areas the Texans have been inconsistent, the Cowboys have actually been consistent all year – consistently bad. They are the second-worst team in the league at giving the ball away and third-worst in differential. They go through long stretches on offense where managing a single first down feels comically hard, and the ensuing backbreaking play surrendered by a tired defense can be seen coming on a weekly basis. A head coach that has wanted a physical football team that can run the ball and rest the defense is now at the end of his contract with the team, coaching a side that does not do a single one of these things even close to well. What the Cowboys can do well on Monday night is remain in the game, at bare minimum, long enough for ESPN’s telecast to not turn into an extended
Dallas Cowboys scouting report: Breaking down the Texans defensive scheme
Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images Houston will be quite the challenge One overlooked aspect of the Cowboys’ most recent iteration of their rivalry with the 49ers was just how dominant the San Francisco defense had become. Much of that had been led by then coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who called defensive plays against the Cowboys in each of their two playoff losses to the 49ers. Last year, Ryans left San Francisco for the head role with the Texans, the team that drafted him back in 2006 when he won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Ryans hired Matt Burke as his defensive coordinator and brought Cory Undlin from San Francisco to be his pass game coordinator, but Ryans still calls the plays. Those two have been instrumental in Ryans recreating the same lethal defense that got the best of Dallas in two straight playoff games. Ryans did not invent the 49ers’ defensive scheme, though he did help perfect it. Ryans began his coaching career as a defensive quality control coach with the 49ers in Kyle Shanahan’s inaugural staff in 2017. A year later, he was promoted to linebackers coach, where he helped oversee the rapid development of both Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. Ryans was there when Robert Saleh tweaked the scheme away from the traditional Legion of Boom style he had cut his teeth in and pivoted towards a mix of the Wide 9 defensive front schemes and the Vic Fangio style of two deep safety shells. And Ryans ensured the linebackers tied it all together. So when Saleh left for the Jets head coaching job, Ryans was the obvious choice to succeed him. Under Ryans’ leadership, the 49ers defense took off in a way it hadn’t under Saleh and hasn’t returned to since Ryans left. His scheme is fundamentally identical to what Saleh and others have run in the past – primarily rush just four and play tight, constricted zone coverage that suffocates throwing lanes – but the way Ryans achieves it is what makes it so unique. The use of Wide 9 alignments upfront wreaks havoc on offensive lines. In San Francisco, this approach had been instilled by defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who had implemented the same approach with the Lions under both Jim Schwartz and Jim Caldwell to great success. Ryans then hired Burke in Houston precisely because of his familiarity with the scheme; Burke had coached alongside Kocurek in both Detroit and later with the Dolphins. By spreading the defensive line way out in the Wide 9 alignment, it forces offensive linemen to stretch horizontally as well. This often results in tackles being left on an island, which frees up for creative stunts and blitzes up the middle in addition to edge rushers having more room to try and beat the tackle. That was a big reason why the Texans traded up in Ryans’ first year to draft Will Anderson, a star edge rusher from Alabama who went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year last season. This year, they signed Vikings superstar Danielle Hunter to pair with Anderson. On the back end, Ryans has retained the 49ers’ signature penchant for operating out of two deep safety shells, though he frequently utilizes disguised coverages and rotates safeties after the snap to play a wide variety of zone coverages. Undlin, who followed him from San Francisco, has long majored in this practice, dating back to his days with the Patriots, as well as spending three seasons under Jim Schwartz in Philadelphia. With the 49ers, Ryans used a lot of zone coverage and frequently used safety Talanoa Hufanga as an enforcer in the middle of the field, routinely dropping him into the box. In Houston, he inherited Jalen Pitre, who is a different player but offers similar physicality. Ryans also brought in 49ers veteran Jimmie Ward, who actually predated Ryans in San Francisco, to be Pitre’s running mate. Together with 2022 third-overall pick Derek Stingley Jr. and current second-round rookie Kamari Lassiter, the Texans have built a physical secondary to carry out Ryans’ diverse coverage schemes. Ryans’ second year in Houston is yielding some great results so far. The Texans rank ninth in EPA/play and second in defensive DVOA. Only three teams are giving up fewer passing yards per game. Their pass rush leads the league in pressure rate and is seventh in sacks. Hunter currently ranks eighth in the league in pressures while Anderson, who will miss the game with an injury, is 16th in pressures while still leading the team in sacks with eight. Only two teams have posted a positive EPA/dropback against this secondary, which is tied for the second-most interceptions in the NFL. None of this is good news for the Cowboys, whose offense hasn’t scored a touchdown in AT&T Stadium since September 22 against the Ravens. They’re also coming off a game in which Cooper Rush averaged a paltry two yards per attempt. That was against an Eagles defense that functions fairly similar to the Texans, with Houston slightly outpacing them in production. Ryans has a history of punking these Cowboys offenses, and this figures to be his easiest matchup against them yet. Simply put, Dallas is not capable of scoring in bunches right now, and they don’t have the capability to stretch this defense out the way teams have to in order to have success. This should be another tough day facing off against Ryans, even if the uniforms have changed.
