It all started on a Sunday night 22 years ago when the Houston Texans upset the Dallas Cowboys 19-10 in the first game in Texans history. It was a magical way to start the franchise with a win over that team up north. Although these teams tangle once every four years, this game takes place just two years after a fourth quarter comeback by the Cowboys that resulted in a 27-23 Dallas win.
The advent of the 17-game schedule allows these two teams to meet again just two years after that Cowboys win, but this time on a Monday night, the first of its kind between the two teams. The two teams have mixed it up in Sunday Prime Time two times and at noon four times. The Texans won both of those Sunday Prime Time games (2002 and 2018) and the Cowboys won all four games with daytime kickoffs (2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022). But, the Prime Time trend is negated a bit (even though there hasn't been a Prime Time regular season game in Dallas) because the Texans have never won in Arlington at AT&T Stadium. More importantly, it's a chance for each team to end its current losing streak - Texans have lost two in a row, Cowboys have lost four in a row. Something's got to GIVE!
Whenever these two teams meet, the atmosphere is indescribable and that's going to be the case for a Monday Night Football matchup, no questions asked. Houston fans want two things - win championships and beat Dallas…and sometimes I'm not sure which one comes first.
So, let's get to know the Dallas Cowboys, the talented Texans' week 11 Monday Night Football opponent
2024 Dallas Cowboys Schedule (3-6)
Week 1 - W @ Cleveland Browns 33-17
Week 2 - L New Orleans Saints
Week 3 - L Baltimore Ravens 28-25
Week 4 - W @ New York Giants 20-15
Week 5 - W @ Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17
Week 6 - L Detroit Lions 47-9
Week 7 - BYE WEEK
Week 8 - L @ San Francisco 49ers 30-24
Week 9 - L @ Atlanta Falcons 27-21
Week 10 - L Philadelphia Eagles 34-6
Week 11 - Houston Texans (MNF)
Week 12 - @ Washington Commanders
Week 13 - New York Giants (Thanksgiving)
Week 14 - Cincinnati Bengals
Week 15 - @ Carolina Panthers
Week 16 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 17 - @ Philadelphia Eagles
Week 18 - Washington Commanders
Cowboys (in 2024 regular season)
Rushing Yards Per game - 83.7 ypg (31st in the NFL)
Passing Yards Per game - 231.3 ypg (10th)
Total offense per game - 315.0 ypg (21st)
Turnovers lost - 18 (10 INT, 8 Fumble lost)
Expected Cowboys starting offense for Week 11
QB - Cooper Rush
RB - Rico Dowdle
WR - CeeDee Lamb
WR - Jalen Tolbert
TE - Luke Schoonmaker
TE - Jake Ferguson
LT - TYLER GUYTON
LG - Tyler Smith
C - COOPER BEEBE
RG - Zack Martin
RT - Terence Steele
Other Key Offensive pieces
RB - Ezekiel Elliott
WR/Ret - KaVontae Turpin
QB - Trey Lance
FB - Hunter Luepke
WR - Jalen Brooks
WR - JONATHAN MINGO
Italics - Rookie
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2024
Keys to winning v. the Cowboys Offense
- What a RUSH! - The first thing that stands out about Cooper Rush is that he's won five out of seven games as a starter in the NFL. I don't know that he does anything brilliantly as a quarterback, but, on the other hand, he doesn't have a significant flaw as a starting QB either. He worries me for a number of reasons, but the main one is that he has nothing to lose in this game. He should play loose and free, getting the ball to his many pass catching weapons. That all said, the Texans have made life pretty uncomfortable for high level starting quarterbacks so Rush is going to have to stand up to the pressure and deliver into tight spots in zone coverage and against sticky man coverage. The rush on Rush is going to play a significant role in this outing for certain.
- RB1…finally- The Cowboys came into the 2024 season with a ton of issues at running back and used the first half of the season to finally land on a starter. That will be Rico Dowdle going forward, instead of veteran Zeke Elliott. But, the results from the run offense have been dreadful for this Cowboys squad. The Cowboys are 2nd to last in the league, averaging under 84 yards per game, but they settled on Dowdle, finally, and that could help the Cowboys find some consistency in the run game. He runs decisively and always produces positive yardage. He runs behind his pads, so the Texans defense must bring big boy pads to slow Dowdle and eliminate yards after contact.
- Wearing 88- It's now become as famous a number in the NFL as there is. The number 88 in Dallas has been worn by the best pass catchers in team's history. Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin. Dez Bryant. Three of the best Cowboys pass catchers in their storied history. The one wearing 88 now, though, is just as special as that dynamic historical trio. CeeDee Lamb is from my hometown (Richmond, TX) and catches BBs in the dark. He has outstanding hands and when the sun isn't in his eyes, he catches everything in his vicinity. He is loose-hipped and gets open easily. He snags the ball effortlessly out of the air. He can go up over defensive backs too. I don't know if Texans star CB Derek Stingley (if healthy) will travel with him or not, but the Texans coverage package will probably be focused on #88 throughout Monday night to limit his impact.
Cowboys DEFENSE (in 2024 regular season)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per game - 152.1 ypg (31st in the NFL)
Passing Yards Allowed Per game - 210.8 ypg (17th)
Total offense Allowed per game - 362.9 ypg (26th)
Turnovers generated - 8 (5 INT, 3 Fumble recoveries - Cowboys are -10 in TO margin)
Expected Cowboys starting defense for Week 11
DE - Micah Parsons
DT - Osa Odighizuwa
NT - Mazi Smith
DE - Chauncey Golston
LB - ERIC KENDRICKS
LB - DeMarvion Overshown
Nickel - Jourdan Lewis
CB - Trevon Diggs
S - Malik Hooker
S - Donovan Wilson
CB - DaRon Bland (been injured, but should return)
Other Key Defensive pieces
S/LB/Star - Markquese Bell
CB - CAELEN CARSON
LB - Nick Vigil
LB - MARIST LIUFAU
DT - Carlos Watkins
DT - LINVAL JOSEPH
S - Israel Mukuamu
DE - Carl Lawson
Italics - Rookie
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2024
Keys to winning v. the Cowboys' Defense
- 11, No matter what- In his final college game at the conclusion of the 2019 season, Micah Parsons put together one of the most dominant performances I could ever remember in a college football game. Playing in the Cotton Bowl in his future NFL home, Parsons played off the ball linebacker and just took Memphis apart. I remember studying that game film and writing "he's the best defensive player in this and many other classes." He's lived up to that acclaim, but I didn't foresee that he would turn himself into the star edge rusher that he's become. But, because of his off-ball linebacker experience, he can line up anywhere on the line of scrimmage and go to WORK against guards and/or centers as well. That's what worries me most about Parsons in this game - where does he line up? Can he completely expose the Texans reconfigured interior pass protectors? He demands more than just one blocker, but it's key to find him and put that focus on him all night long.
- Overshown, Overlooked?- When I was at the Senior Bowl a few years ago, I was impressed with how ATHLETIC former Texas star LB DeMarvion Overshown looked in person. I did think that he had some more work to do to round out his game. But, given his impressive size, speed and overall athletic ability, it was just a matter of time and opportunity. Well, after missing his entire rookie season to an injury, he returned in 2024 and became one of the top four defensive stars for this Dallas defense. In a 28-point loss last week, Overshown showed how impactful he was, is and will be in the future in this defense. He finished with two sacks, two TFL and two QBH, in addition to leading the Cowboys defense with 11 tackles. He's all over the field and is still just learning the NFL game as a second year guy, really doing it in his rookie year. It's scary what #13 can do and the Texans have to get a hat on him in the run game to limit his ability to run to the ball unabated.
- Sir Mixon A-Lot - Sunday night against the Detroit Lions was a lot like beating your head up against a Honolulu blue wall. RB Joe Mixon had 25 carries for just 48 yards and his battering ram running style didn't get them anywhere that night. So, how can that change this week facing the 2nd worst run defense in the NFL? Well, just as much of Mixon (and perhaps Dameon Pierce if fully healthy), but it might take some more Mixon receptions in the pass game to get him out of the interior fray. He made the most of a slip screen thrown to him in the first half against the Lions. Here's hoping that he can produce more against this Dallas front in the run game. However, if Dallas puts up another wall in front of him, I hope that the Texans offensive staff finds multiple ways to get Joe the ball away from that wall, out in space, putting pressure on the littles (i.e. CB and S) to tackle Joe repeatedly. Eventually, he'll break through and change the game on a night that means so much to this 2024 team.
