The rivalry between North and South Texas carries significant weight in terms of pride and bragging rights. Engaging with fans from both sides reveals the depth of their intensity regarding the Cowboys and the Texans.

Following the recent clash, the Texans improved its season record to 7-4 by defeating the injury-plagued Cowboys, 34-10, on Monday Night Football in Arlington.

This victory solidifies the Texans’ position at the top of the AFC South standings.

The game was decided in the first quarter, where two touchdowns quickly established a commanding lead. Although a penalty nullified a remarkable 77-yard touchdown run by Nico Collins on the game’s opening play, Joe Mixon capitalized on the opportunity by scoring back-to-back touchdowns. His 45-yard run came shortly after Collins’ impressive effort, and with 54 seconds left in the quarter, Mixon added a one-yard touchdown, extending Houston’s advantage to 14-0.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud had a productive outing, completing 23 of 34 passes for 257 yards, while Mixon’s impressive performance on the ground, totaling 109 yards on 20 carries, set the tone early in the match.

Despite facing a deficit, Cooper Rush threw for 354 yards on 32 of 55 attempts, contributing one touchdown and one interception. He connected with receiver KaVontae Turpin, who capitalized on a coverage error by the Texans’ cornerback Jeff Okudah to score a 64-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 17-10 and providing a glimmer of hope for Dallas (3-7).

CeeDee Lamb performed admirably, recording eight receptions for 93 yards, while Turpin added three catches for 86 yards.

However, Houston quickly extinguished any hopes of a comeback by scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns. In this brief yet notable rivalry, the Cowboys and Texans have met only seven times, with the Texans emerging victorious in three encounters.

The Cowboys, already dealing with several injuries, suffered another setback when Markquese Bell injured his arm in the first half while attempting to tackle Dameon Pierce during a kickoff return. Bell’s left arm was forced into an awkward position, resulting in considerable pain. The Cowboys later confirmed that Bell sustained a shoulder injury, further complicating its already challenging situation.

Dallas’s frustration mounted as it lost for the fifth consecutive time.

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A captivating contest is set to unfold in Texas as the Cowboys prepare to face off against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium on Monday Night Football. This matchup promises to be a thrilling encounter, showcasing the rivalry between the two Lone Star State teams.

In its previous encounter in 2022, the Cowboys emerged victorious with a narrow 27-23 win over the Texans. Historically, Dallas has maintained an edge in the rivalry, holding a 4-2 advantage since their first meeting in 2002.

However, the Cowboys face significant hurdles this season, currently holding a record of (3-6). To keep their postseason aspirations alive, Dallas must achieve at least seven wins. The team’s offense must perform effectively, while the run defense looks to step up to ensure a successful outcome.

On the other hand, the Texans, with a record of (6-4), aim to maintain its winning momentum and secure a playoff berth for the second consecutive year. Its defense, characterized by a talented front seven, excels at applying pressure, which could create difficulties for the Cowboys, particularly given its struggles in the running game.

Quarterback CJ Stroud will seek to involve receivers Collins and Dell early in the game. Running back Joe Mixon, one of the league’s top running backs this season, adds another dimension to the Texans’ offensive strategy.

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Flirting with the opportunity to end the game with a win seemed far from the imagination as Houston failed to sustain drives throughout the second half. 

The Texans (4-1) blew a 20-3 lead before escaping on Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 59-yard field goal as time expired, giving Houston a 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday evening at NRG Stadium. 

Fairbairn has proven to be money in the bank to this point of the season. He drilled a 59-yard field goal as time expired, driving the home crowd wild while the Texans’ sideline erupted. 

Dare Ogunbowale’s five-yard carry keyed Fairbairn’s late field goal.

It happened after Josh Allen went 0-for-3 on three straight passes, resulting in a punt. 

Despite Allen’s tough day, dropping to a season-low 131 passing yards on 9-of-30 attempts, the Bills had its share of opportunities. 

Allen cited the issue as making better decisions, completion ratio, and the lack of keeping the ball out of harm’s way. 

Still, the Bills defense blazed a trail for its offense, halting Houston’s offense on several series. Within the same time frame, Buffalo scored 17 consecutive points to knot the scoreboard at 20 with under four minutes remaining. 

One such play helped the Bills (3-2) take advantage of the momentum when Allen spotted rookie receiver Keon Coleman. Coleman shedded a defender, raced down the sideline, and flipped into the end zone, trimming Houston’s lead to 20-17. Later, Tyler Bass would add another field goal to tie the game, 20-20.

CJ Stroud shined at times and struggled in other moments but managed 331 passing yards on 28-of-38 with a touchdown and one interception. Stefon Diggs snagged six balls for 82 yards.

The loss of Nico Collins took away some of the Texan’s luster. Collins left the game in the first half with an injury.  

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Joe Mixon’s nine-yard run on third and three capped the game as the Texans ran out the clock.

On Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Texans extended its road win streak to nine after downing the Colts in thrilling fashion, 29-27.

Mixon’s nine-yard run helped the Texans (1-0) extend its road win streak to nine games. He was a load for the Colts defense, carrying the ball 30 times for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Still, the Colts (0-1) would stay strong, matching several of Houston’s big plays. It seemed it would come down to who had the last big play.

Anthony Richardson led Indianapolis on 9-of-12 for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. He also added 56 ground yards on six carries and a touchdown. His considerable play ability kept the Colts within striking distance, but the defense had no answer for the bend and didn’t break Houston’s offense.

Houston’s kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn added three long-range field goals, a 50-yarder, and two from 51 yards, which kept the pressure on.

CJ Stroud continues to be a factor for the Texans, completing 24-of-32 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. His main target, Nico Collins, finished with six catches for 117 yards. Tank Dell caught six balls for 33 yards, but two of the receptions were for scores.

Houston held a slight edge in stats, with 414 yards of total offense and 26 first downs. The Colts piled up 303 and 14 first downs. However, the Texans nearly double Indianapolis in total plays, 76-43.

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The Houston Texans look to improve in a few areas this upcoming season with the edition of its new head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ryans, a former linebacker who played for Philadelphia (2012) and Houston (2006), spent six seasons coaching defense in San Francisco.

The 49ers hired Ryans as the defensive quality control coach in February 2017, then promoted him to linebackers coach in 2018 and defensive coordinator in 2021.

On January 31, 2023, the Texans hired Ryans as its head coach.

Texans General Manager Nick Caserio feels like Ryans is the guy who will help build a sustainable program with long-term success. He also likes that Ryans has a proven track record of success and an innate ability to lead people.

Before Ryans left San Francisco in 2022, its defense held the top spot in the NFC.

Ryans and the Texans share the same ideas about building a foundation. Experienced players who will add knowledge to a youthful club group are a step in the right direction.

The Texans have experience in tight end Dalton Schultz and safety Jimmie Ward. Also, a couple of draft picks, Quarterback CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and edge defender Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) will see action early.

Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick behind Brice Young, performed well as a signal caller for the Buckeyes. Stroud finished his Ohio State career with 575 completions, 8,123 passing yards, and 85 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

Barring injury, Stroud will jump into action quickly as the Texans are high on the 6’3″ 218-pound sharpshooter. His athletic ability can buy time in the pocket and allow him to bounce outside while avoiding would-be tacklers.

However, the Texans’ lack of regarding the receiver’s position could create a problem. According to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, it will open training camp ranked last. Still, Ryans is okay with the nay-sayer’s thoughts concerning the lack. He believes the receiving corps may lift some eyebrows.

Noah Brown, Nico Collins, Nathaniel Dell, Xavier Hutchinson, and Schultz will team up to boost production from the receiver position. Dell (third-round pick) and Hutchinson (sixth-round) will see its first NFL action when preseason kicks off in August.

It could be a thought-provoking season as the Texans’ offense will operate out of the West Coast offense led by new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Slowik spent his last six seasons with the 49ers as an offensive passing game coordinator.

He motivates the offense and gives every player a reason to share in this offense.

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Arlington – The Houston Texans claimed the battle of I-45 by beating the Cowboys, 20–14, on Saturday evening at AT&T Stadium.

Texans defensive lineman Charles Omenihu recovered a fumble in Dallas territory, which turned into points after running back Mark Ingram scored from two yards out, giving Houston a 7-0 with 11:08 left in the first quarter. The Texans were happy to see quarterback Tyrod Taylor lead the team to a touchdown and not settle for a field goal.

Still, the Cowboys scored 14 unanswered points to led 14–7 at the half.

However, the Texans’ defense took over in the second half when defensive back Lonnie Johnson returned a 53-yard pick-six. That knotted the score at 14.

Later, Ka’imi Fairbairn extended the lead to six after connecting on a pair of field goals.

Houston’s cornerbacks Terrance Brooks and Shyheim Carter intercepted Cowboys’ quarterback Ben DiNucci.

AT&T Stadium / Arlington, TX

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The Super Bowl champs caught fire immediately after knocking the rust off its first possession.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 138 yards and scored the decisive touchdown and quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Kansas City Chiefs over the Houston Texans, 34-20 on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs playing without a full house of fans, settled in with 17,000 screaming fans who sounded much louder than a social distancing crowd.

Kansas City opened the third quarter with the winning drive. From its 20 yard line, Mahomes hooked up with speedster Tyreek Hill for 12 yards to soften up the defense. The balanced attack included receptions to Watkins, who had 66 yards on six catches to this point of the game. Darrel Williams added a 12-yard carry before running back Edwards-Helaire concluded with a 27-yard touchdown run to bump his total to 128 yards also at this point of the contest.

Mahomes finished 24 of 32 and a sack. Edwards-Helaire carried the ball 25 times on a soggy field.

On its opening possession of the game, the Texans marched 80 yards. Watson finished five-of-five and running back David Johnson capped the drive on a flashy run when he took the handoff, cut right, found an opening, and outran the Chiefs’ defense to the end zone with 4:45 left in the first quarter.

Kansas City responded with a similar drive as Mahomes picked up from last season’s Super Bowl run. Like Watson, the MVP of Super Bowl LIV quarterback guided the Chiefs. He eventually threaded a six-yard touchdown pass through traffic to tight end Travis Kelce, knotting the game at 7, following Harrison Butker extra point kick with 14:13 left in the second quarter.

The Chief’s surprising ground game complimented its passing attack. Mahomes threw to his stellar receiving corps, including, Hill, Kelce, Watkins, who all had a touchdown.

Houston’s next drive stalled as Kansas City bumped up its defensive pressure. Watson jump-started the possession with a 24-yard pass to Wil Fuller at the 44. Johnson carried the ball four yards to the 48 but Watson suffered the first of four sacks on the following play which put the offense in a hole. It led to a punt.

By this time, Mahomes and company found its groove, rolling 91 yards on 14-plays. Mahomes found Watkins at the one where he bulled his way into the end zone to give the Chiefs the lead, 14-7 with 2:26 left in the second quarter.

The Texans had an opportunity to add points but kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 51-yard wide right with 25 seconds left before halftime.

Still, that was enough time for Mahomes to direct the Chiefs into field goal range where Butker drilled a 29-yard field goal with no time left, increasing the Chiefs lead, 17-7.

J.J. Watt and the Texan defense applied pressure to Mahomes and the Kansas City’s offense but the Super Bowl quarterback countered each time it faced a roadblock.

The bright spot on behalf of the Texans proved it can move the ball. Finishing drives is the question.

Houston penetrated to the Chiefs 48-yard line but it led to a punt.

Later, another great start faltered when Tyrann Mathieu pressured Watson into throwing an interception to L’Jarius Sneed returned the ball 40 yards to the Texans 17 with 14:15 remaining in the game.

Watson managed 20 of 32 attempts for 253 yards, a touchdown, and one interception. Wil Fuller caught eight passes for 112 yards.

Edwards-Helaire ripped off ten yards down to the seven-yard line. A few plays later, Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney thought his Interception of Mahomes would stand. Instead, It was wiped out by a pass interference infraction when cornerback Bradley Roby held target receiver, Byron Pringle which set up an automatic first down from the one-yard line.

On the same series of downs, Hill beat Robey off the line to the right corner of the end zone to cap a one-yard touchdown reception from Mahomes. That put the game on ice as the Chiefs inflated its lead, 31-7 following Butker’s extra point kick.

Houston added two touchdowns to finish with a respectable showing.

The quick pass worked well for Watson and the Texans. He threw a ten-yard pass to Fuller and 12-yards to Johnson as the Texans marched 75-yards to paydirt.

Despite defensive tackle Chris Jones which collected his second sack of Watson, Houston kept its focus as Watson connected with tight end Jordan Akins to complete a 19-yard touchdown pass to trim the score, 31-13 with 7:15 left.

Watson would add a one-yard scoring run with 2:38 to go.

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Andre Odums / OSsports / OSspits

According to Deshaun Watson, one of several prayers were finally answered on Saturday morning after the Houston Texans agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract extension.

However, some of the biggest names in the NFL sounded off in regards to Watson’s salary announcement. But congratulations came from Russell Wilson, Michael Thomas, teammates J.J. Watt and Kenny Stills.

After the Texans signed its quarterback to a four-year, record-setting contract extension on Saturday, the second question of Deshaun Watson’s news conference came from Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

Houston Astros Justin Verlander asked the third question.

When offensive coordinator Michael Perry of Gainvilles High School in Atlanta, Georgia called, Watson tears began to fall. As the two talked about the past—Watson’s future—Watson had flashbacks of growing up. Thinking one day he might have a shot at making it to the big leagues. Though the big one has escaped Watson in his short stint in the NFL, his prayers have been answered in the agreement of a whopping contract extension. It’s not only deserving but it also allows him to take care of his family.

“It’s awesome.”, said Watson.

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The unexplained play Watson pulled off in the Texans, 22-19 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday evening at NRG, left millions of TV viewers stunned.

Fairbairn threw the knock out punch with his game-winning 28-yard field goal, but it was Watson’s superhero instincts that led it down in scoring territory.

Facing second and six, the Bills sent safety Siren Neal and linebacker Matt Milano on a bliss off the edges. Neal got to Watson first, slamming into him within seconds of Milano, who bounced off Watson and fell to the ground. Watson then spun out of danger, running right, finding running back Taiwan Jones, who scampered to the Bills ten-yard line before being tackled by Bills cornerback Kevin Johnson. The play will be remembered as one of the most dynamic plays in Texans’ history.

Watson told one reporter, “I knew it was bliss zero. I checked the play. Kevin Johnson was here last year, so he knew the signal, and I just told myself to stay up.”

Watson completed 20-of-25 passes for 247 yards, no interceptions, and a touchdown. He rushed 14 times for 55 yards and a score. Hopkins caught six passes for 90 yards.

Houston (11-6) received the ball first in overtime but was forced to punt when tight end Darren Fells dropped a pass that would have kept the drive alive following a first down.

Then the Bills (10-7) could not dig itself out of a hole after tackle Cody Ford’s controversial blindside block. That backed the Bills up to its 43 and eventually forced a punt.

In regulation, Buffalo trailed, 19-16 before Stephen Hauschka split the uprights with five seconds left, knotting the game at 19.

In the first half, Josh Allen came out on a roll, driving the Bills down the field to end zone to grab the early lead, 7-0. The Bills received much support from its athletic defense, which boasts talented young players such as Ed Oliver, Trent Murphy, Star Lotulelei, Jerry Hughes, Tremaine Edmonds, and Neal, who disrupted Houston’s offense. Its defense registered four sacks in the first half and seven total.

“Give a lot of credit to the Buffalo Bills,” O’Brien said. “They are a tough football team. They did a lot of really good things today. They know us pretty well.”

The 75-yard possession ended with trickeration play when John Brown took a pitch moving right while Allen headed left where he was alone when he received the pass from Brown as he crossed the goal line.

Allen paced the Bills going 24-of-46 attempts with 264 yards and no interceptions. He rushed nine times for 92 yards. Singletary had six receptions for 76 yards.

The Bills defense was up for the task, holding Houston’s offense scoreless for nearly three quarters.

Houston saw a shade of light when it took possession of the ball with 6:02 left in the third quarter at its 25-yard line and worked its way downfield with a mixture of running plays from Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson, DeShaun Watson, sprinkled with a couple passes to first-team All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins. But it was Watson’s scrambling ability that brought on the first celebration after he scored the Texans first touchdown and a two conversion, slicing Buffalo’s lead in half, 16-8.

The Bills took its next drive into the fourth quarter, but disaster struck when Whitney Mercilus stripped Allen of the ball with 14:11 remaining. Outside linebacker Jacob Martin recovered the ball at midfield.

Coach McDermott felt like some of the Bills’ young players did a poor job of handling the ball. But he was proud that the defense allowed it a chance to win.

Though Watson absorbed his sixth sack of the game, Houston used its time wisely, adding points to the scoreboard when Ka’imi Fairbairn drilled a 41-yard field goal, making the score, 16-11 with 10:55 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Texans’ defense amped it up in the second half. Benardrick McKinney bundled up ten tackles, and Houston registered three sacks on Allen.

In spot duty, JJ Watt’s presence was felt after missing eight games due to pectoral surgery. His sack of Allen gave the Texans a spark to feed off. Wyatt explained, “We knew we needed a spark. We were down 16 to nothing. We didn’t believe we were out of the game.”

The Texans will travel to No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs next week for a Divisional Round matchup on Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

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Arlington, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys owned this years Showdown of I-45 rivals in the Lonestar State battle. The Cowboys had little trouble roping the Texans while steering it self to a 34-0 victory at AT&T Stadium.

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