A Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys matchup is not an everyday event. Different conferences, different divisions, and a scheduling rotation that kept these two Texas franchises apart for years at a time. This week, the date is finally here: Sunday, October 4, 2026, per the NFL Week 4 2026 slate, with kickoff set for NRG Stadium in Houston.
Everything about Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys feels like a turning point for both clubs. The Texans walk in at 0-3 for the second straight season, still waiting on an offense that has scored just 23 points in its last two games, under head coach DeMeco Ryans. The Cowboys arrive at 1-2, an explosive offense that averages 29.3 points a game, but fresh off a 34-31 loss to Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro that came down to a 56-yard field goal as time expired. Honestly, it’s close to a coin flip. Anyone who’s sat through a Texans vs Cowboys game knows the box score only tells part of the story. Two of the seven meetings since 2002 needed overtime, and a field goal settled both.
Here’s what this guide covers before kickoff: how each team looks right now, the full Cowboys vs Texans history, the last time they met, the key match player stats, the betting lines, where to watch, and a few quick FAQs at the end. If you are tracking Texans vs Cowboys 2026 odds and stats, this page keeps them in one place.
Houston Texans History:
For a couple of years Houston was a team the rest of the AFC didn’t want to face, which is why an 0-3 start stings so much. The next few Houston Texans games will show whether this is just a blip. DeMeco Ryans is in year four as head coach, Nick Caley is in his second season as offensive coordinator, and C.J. Stroud is still the guy under center. The roster has the pass rush to compete with almost anyone. What it has not had is an offense that can finish.
The opening three weeks have been a mix of promise and frustration. Week 1 brought a 36-31 home loss to Buffalo. The offense put up 31, but nobody could stop Josh Allen. Cincinnati won 20-6 the next week, and Houston never found the end zone. Then Indianapolis took the third game 19-17 on a 53-yard field goal with 16 seconds left. Going into NFL Week 4 2026, Houston has scored 54 points, or 18.0 a game, and given up 75, or 25.0 a game.
The Colts game was especially painful. The Houston defense sacked Daniel Jones four times, intercepted him once, forced two fumbles and recovered three. The Colts coughed the ball up three times, while Houston didn’t turn it over once. And the Texans still lost. The offense managed just 223 yards, and Indianapolis held the ball for 35:13 to Houston’s 24:47. Woody Marks punched in a one-yard touchdown to put Houston up 17-16 with under two minutes left. Indianapolis answered with a 20-yard catch behind the secondary and then a long field goal.
What Makes Houston’s Team Tick
- C.J. Stroud has 794 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through three games, but he has been sacked repeatedly. The line allowed 10 sacks across Weeks 2 and 3.
- Nico Collins is the No. 1 receiver and the biggest swing factor. A hamstring injury kept him out of Weeks 2 and 3, and he returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday. Ryans has said he is optimistic about a Week 4 return.
- A pass rush built on Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, with Sheldon Rankins inside. Houston has 11 sacks on the season, and the unit created three takeaways last week.
- A run game still searching for rhythm. David Montgomery had 33 yards on 11 carries against Indianapolis, and Marks added 15 yards on five carries plus his touchdown. The Texans ran for just 70 yards as a team.
Houston Texans Snapshot
| Detail | Info |
| Division | AFC South |
| Head coach | DeMeco Ryans (4th season) |
| Offensive coordinator | Nick Caley (2nd season) |
| Quarterback | C.J. Stroud |
| Identity | Pass rush-driven defense, offense in search of consistency |
| Recent form | 0-3 for the second consecutive year |
| 2026 results | Lost to Buffalo 36-31, lost to Cincinnati 20-6, lost at Indianapolis 19-17 |
Looking at the Houston Texans standings through three weeks, Houston is 16th in the 16-team AFC table, level at 0-3 with Miami, Tennessee and the Los Angeles Chargers, and fourth in the AFC South behind Jacksonville (2-1). It is a hard spot for a franchise that expected to contend, and the Houston Texans standings will look very different if a win arrives Sunday. Among all Houston Texans games so far, the Week 2 loss to Cincinnati was the worst: six points and no touchdowns at home. The good news for Houston is that this week’s opponent has produced just two sacks through three games, which should give Stroud more time to throw than he has had in recent weeks.
Dallas Cowboys History: Explosive Offense, Leaky Defense
Dallas’s story is the opposite, and the recent Dallas Cowboys game in Rio showed both sides of it. The Cowboys can score on almost anyone, and they have the numbers to prove it: 88 points in three games, with 20, 37 and 31. The problem is the other side. Dallas has allowed 82 points (27.3 per game), and in all three games the over has cashed. Brian Schottenheimer is in his second season as head coach, with Dak Prescott leading an offense built around CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
The season opened with a 28-20 loss at the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. Dallas rebounded with a 37-20 win over Washington, with four Prescott touchdown passes. Then came the heartbreaker in Rio. The Cowboys trailed 24-13 in the third quarter, cut it to 24-21 on a 19-yard Prescott touchdown pass to Jake Ferguson and a two-point throw to Lamb, then took a 28-24 lead on a nine-yard end-around from KaVontae Turpin. Baltimore scored with 1:34 left, Brandon Aubrey tied it with a 23-yard field goal, and Lamar Jackson found Zay Flowers for 27 yards to set up Tyler Loop’s winner.
What Makes Dallas’s Team Tick
- Dak Prescott is 73-of-105 (69.5%) for 730 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He has not thrown an interception in two straight games.
- CeeDee Lamb has back-to-back 100-yard games, including seven catches for 112 yards in Rio.
- George Pickens had his best game of 2026 against Baltimore, with seven catches for 82 yards.
- A ground game that finally showed up. Dallas ran for 148 yards on 30 carries (4.9 per carry) in Week 3, with Javonte Williams scoring from two yards out.
- Brandon Aubrey, who remains one of the league’s most dependable kickers, hit three field goals in Rio.
Dallas Cowboys Snapshot
| Detail | Info |
| Division | NFC East |
| Head coach | Brian Schottenheimer (2nd season) |
| Quarterback | Dak Prescott |
| Identity | High-scoring offense, struggling run defense and pass rush |
| Recent form | 1-2, first game back in the U.S. after Rio |
| 2026 results | Lost at Giants 28-20, beat Washington 37-20, lost to Baltimore 34-31 |
In Dallas Cowboys vs Houston Texans, the Cowboys are third in the NFC East at 1-2, behind Philadelphia and the Giants (both 2-1) and ahead of Washington (1-2), and 10th in the NFC conference table. Fans following the Dallas Cowboys schedule will see that Sunday is followed by a short week, with Tampa Bay visiting on Thursday. That makes this game more important than a typical Week 4 road trip.
NFL Schedule This Week
Kickoff for Sunday’s NFL Week 4 2026 Texans vs Cowboys game is set for 12:00 p.m. CT, which is 1:00 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. IST, at NRG Stadium in Houston, broadcast on FOX. Among the Houston Texans games and Dallas Cowboys games on this week’s slate, this Texans vs Cowboys meeting is one of the few between teams from different conferences, and it is the only meeting of two Texas franchises in the regular season this year.
| Team | Next matchup | Date | Location |
| Houston Texans | at Tennessee Titans | October 11 | Away |
| Dallas Cowboys | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Prime Video) | Thursday, October 8 | Home |
The Houston Texans schedule gets friendlier right after this one, and the full Houston Texans schedule shows a bye in Week 8: Tennessee is 0-3, and Houston visits Jacksonville on October 18 and hosts the New York Giants on October 25 before a Week 8 bye. The Dallas Cowboys schedule is tougher. After Tampa Bay come road trips to Green Bay (October 18) and Philadelphia (October 26), plus a return to AT&T Stadium for Arizona on November 1. The Cowboys’ bye is not until Week 14, which makes the Dallas Cowboys schedule one of the busier ones in the NFC.
If you are searching for the Dallas Cowboys game today, a small note: the team does not play until Sunday. On game day, the Dallas Cowboys game today starts at noon Central, one o’clock Eastern, so set an alarm accordingly. And if you check for the Dallas Cowboys game today on Sunday morning, remember that kickoff is an hour earlier for Central Time viewers than for East Coast fans.
Head-to-Head History: Full Timeline
Because the franchises play in opposite conferences, they met only once every four years for most of the Texans’ history, although the 17-game schedule has now brought them together in 2022, 2024 and 2026. Overall, Dallas holds a slim edge in the Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys series, 4-3 since 2002.
| Date | Winner | Location | Score | Notes |
| Nov. 18, 2024 | Texans | Away | 34-10 | Houston’s first road win in the series |
| Dec. 2022 | Cowboys | Away | 27-23 | Dallas wins at AT&T Stadium |
| Oct. 2018 | Texans | Home | 19-16 (OT) | Houston wins in overtime at NRG Stadium |
| Oct. 5, 2014 | Cowboys | Away | 20-17 (OT) | Dan Bailey 49-yard field goal wins it |
| Sept. 26, 2010 | Cowboys | Home | 27-13 | At Reliant Stadium |
| Oct. 15, 2006 | Cowboys | Away | 34-6 | Only meeting at Texas Stadium |
| Sept. 8, 2002 | Texans | Home | 19-10 | The Texans’ first-ever regular-season game |
Note: “Home” and “Away” in the table are from Houston’s point of view.
If you count the Oilers era and the original Dallas Texans, Dallas leads the overall Texas rivalry 13-9, according to the Governor’s Cup record. The trophy goes to the winner of this game.
A Few Things Worth Pointing Out
- The Cowboys were the Texans’ very first regular-season opponent in 2002, and 2026 is Houston’s 25th season, which gives this game a built-in anniversary feel.
- A Houston win on Sunday would tie the Texans-era series at 4-4 for the first time.
- Houston has won two of the three meetings played in Houston. The 2018 and 2002 games went to the Texans; 2010 went to Dallas.
- Two of the seven meetings went to overtime, and both were settled by a field goal.
- Dallas’s longest win streak in the Texans era is three games, from 2006 to 2014, and a Texans vs Cowboys 2026 win would give Houston its second victory in the last three meetings.
Last Time These Two Teams Met: Texans 34, Cowboys 10
With Sunday’s game still to be played, the last real reference point for the Texans vs Cowboys 2026 matchup goes back to a Monday night in November 2024 at AT&T Stadium. Houston won 34-10, its first road win in the series. Dallas was 3-6 and in the middle of a four-game losing streak, without Dak Prescott because of a hamstring injury, with Cooper Rush starting at quarterback.
The result flipped the usual script. The Cowboys had won four of the first six meetings, and the 2024 game was the most lopsided win by either side in the Texans era after the 2006 Cowboys victory (34-6). It also meant that the Texans vs Cowboys series entered 2026 with Houston holding the most recent win. Prescott, Lamb and the Cowboys offense are healthy this time, which is a very different Dallas team than the one Houston faced two seasons ago.
Where Both Teams Stand Entering Sunday
Three weeks into the season, the gap between these rosters looks much smaller than the records suggest. Dallas has the better scoring margin (+6, compared with -21 for Houston), but Houston’s defense has been the more disruptive group. Before looking at the numbers below, it is worth framing this Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats snapshot simply: turnovers, sacks and the running game will probably decide it.
| Stat | Houston Texans | Dallas Cowboys |
| Record | 0-3 | 1-2 |
| Points per game | 18.0 | 29.3 |
| Points allowed per game | 25.0 | 27.3 |
| Point differential | -21 | +6 |
| Starting QB | C.J. Stroud: 794 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT | Dak Prescott: 730 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT |
| Sacks (team, season) | 11 recorded | 2 recorded |
Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats: Quarterbacks and Receivers
Live Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats will populate on the NFL’s game page and the FOX Sports app once the game starts. Until then, here are the verified numbers through three weeks.
| Player | Season stats through Week 3 | Last game (Week 3) |
| Dak Prescott (DAL) | 73-of-105, 730 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT | 25-of-40, 276 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT |
| C.J. Stroud (HOU) | 794 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT | 16-of-27, 167 yards, 1 TD, sacked 3 times |
| CeeDee Lamb (DAL) | Back-to-back 100-yard games | 7 catches, 112 yards |
| George Pickens (DAL) | Best game of 2026 in Week 3 | 7 catches, 82 yards |
| Jake Ferguson (DAL) | 19-yard touchdown catch in Week 3 | 1 TD |
| Xavier Hutchinson (HOU) | Team’s leading receiver in Week 3 | 3 catches, 51 yards |
| Foster Moreau (HOU) | 1-yard touchdown catch in Week 3 | 1 TD |
Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats: Team Numbers from Week 3
| Stat | Cowboys vs Ravens | Texans at Colts |
| Total yards | 415 | 223 |
| Rushing yards | 148 | 70 |
| Passing yards | 276 | 167 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 7 for 88 yards | 2 for 14 yards |
| Time of possession | 30:38 | 24:47 |
Stroud has been steady with the ball, with no interceptions. Prescott, by contrast, has been prolific, and his seven touchdown passes more than double Stroud’s three. If this Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats trend holds, the winner will be the team that wins the sack and rushing battles, and it is worth noting that turnover margin has been a bigger deal for Houston this year than for Dallas.
When the Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats begin to update on Sunday, watch Prescott’s pressure rate, Stroud’s sack total, and the Lamb and Pickens targets against Houston’s cornerbacks. The NFL app, ESPN and CBS Sports all track Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats in real time, and fantasy managers will care about the same numbers, especially at running back and tight end.
Key Houston Texans Players to Watch
The most important of the Houston Texans players this week is Nico Collins, simply because of what his absence did. When he sat out Weeks 2 and 3, Houston scored 23 total points. If he plays, Stroud gets back his top target and a receiver who can win one-on-one against Dallas’s corners. On defense, Anderson, Hunter and Rankins make the Texans’ pass rush the strength of the team. Other Houston Texans players worth tracking are tight end Dalton Schultz, running back Woody Marks and veteran back David Montgomery, who needs more room behind a line that has been inconsistent.
Key Dallas Cowboys Players to Watch
The Dallas Cowboys players to watch begin with Prescott, who has been protected reasonably well, though the line allowed 12 pressures in Rio even with zero sacks. Lamb and Pickens give Dallas a receiving pair few defenses can handle, and Ferguson has become a reliable red-zone option. Defensively, the Dallas Cowboys players under the microscope are in the front seven: Baltimore ran for 192 yards, with Derrick Henry scoring twice, and Dallas has just two sacks in three games.
Injury Report
Final designations come Friday, so check again before kickoff.
| Team | Did not practice Wednesday | Limited |
| Texans | LB Azeez Al-Shaair (groin), RB British Brooks (hamstring), OT Trent Brown (illness/knee/wrist) | Will Anderson Jr. (ankle), Jadeveon Clowney (knee), Nico Collins (hamstring), Logan Hall (knee), Jake Hansen (knee), Ed Ingram (groin), M.J. Stewart (knee) |
| Cowboys | CB Shavon Revel Jr. (knee/ankle), LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring), CB Cobie Durant (hamstring) | None listed |
Anderson’s ankle is the biggest concern for Houston, because the pass rush is the best part of the team. For Dallas, three missing defenders, including two corners, would stress a secondary that was already vulnerable.
Coaching Matchup: Ryans vs. Schottenheimer
Neither coach is a stranger to pressure. Ryans, a former Texans linebacker, was hired in January 2023 and has handed defensive play-calling duties to coordinator Matt Burke in the past while working with offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Schottenheimer is in his second year in Dallas, and the Cowboys’ loss in Rio put a lot of attention on late-game decisions near the goal line.
| Factor | Houston (Ryans) | Dallas (Schottenheimer) |
| Experience | 4th season as head coach | 2nd season as head coach |
| Quarterback situation | C.J. Stroud, no interceptions | Dak Prescott, 7 TD, 1 INT |
| Offensive identity | Under Nick Caley, still finding rhythm | Pass-heavy with improving ground game |
| Defensive identity | Pass-rush driven | Struggling against the run |
| Program status | 0-3, trying to avoid a 0-4 hole | 1-2, trying to avoid a short-week slide |
This matchup says as much about where each team sits today as it does about play-calling: a Houston group that cannot afford another one-score loss, against a Dallas team that cannot afford another game it should have won.
Betting Angle: What the Odds Say
Houston is a small home favorite. Most books list the Texans at -2.5, although a few have moved to -1.5, with a total near 47.5 (some books list 47). For Cowboys vs Texans, the moneyline is roughly Texans -133 to -142 and Cowboys +120 to +127.
Win probability models for Texans vs Cowboys lean slightly toward Houston: the NFL scores feed gives the Texans 59.6 percent and the Cowboys 40.4 percent, while Dimers lists Houston at 56.9 percent in its Dallas Cowboys vs Houston Texans simulation and projects a 25-23 Texans win.
The trends are interesting, and the Texans vs Cowboys total is one to watch. The Cowboys are 2-1 against the spread and the Texans are 0-3. The over is 3-0 in Dallas games, while the under is 2-1 in Houston games. That volatility says a lot: oddsmakers see this as a competitive Texans vs Cowboys game rather than a mismatch, even with Houston at 0-3. None of this is betting advice. Lines move, and injury news, particularly on Collins, can change them quickly.
Match Prediction: Texans vs Cowboys
Prediction for: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans, NFL Week 4, Sunday, October 4, 2026
Kickoff (US time): 1:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT at NRG Stadium in Houston, on FOX
The models and the oddsmakers are close to agreeing on this one. Dimers projects a 25-23 Texans win, a Covers computer projection lands at Texans 24, Cowboys 22 with a total of 46, and the market has Houston by about two points. Nobody is calling it a blowout either way.
Why Houston can win
- The pass rush is the one clear edge. Houston has 11 sacks, and Dallas has been sacked just three times, so something has to give. Anderson and Hunter can change a drive on their own.
- If Collins is cleared, Stroud finally has his top receiver back against a Cowboys secondary that is already missing corners in practice.
- Home field and desperation matter. Houston has lost three straight in one-score games and can’t afford 0-4 for a second year running.
Why Dallas can win
- The Cowboys offense is the better one right now: 29.3 points a game against Houston’s 18.0, with Prescott, Lamb and Pickens all producing.
- Houston’s offensive line has allowed 10 sacks in two games, and Dallas only needs a few pressures to keep the Texans stuck in third-and-long.
- Dallas is 2-1 against the spread, and a few analysts, including the Covers model, like the Cowboys at +2.5.
The swing factors: whether Collins plays, how Dallas handles Houston’s rushers with a line that gave up 12 pressures last week, and whether the Cowboys can finally stop the run after allowing 192 yards to Baltimore.
Our pick: Texans 24, Cowboys 23. Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys looks like a one-possession game, and a defense that has created turnovers should edge an offense that has been undone by penalties and a leaky run defense. The Cowboys are a sensible lean against the spread at +2.5, since this has the feel of a game decided by a field goal. If Collins is ruled out on Friday, flip the lean: Dallas becomes the better bet to win outright.
As always, this is analysis, not betting advice, and it rests on a three-game sample.
Where to Watch Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys
If you are wondering where to watch Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys, the answer is FOX, which has the game in the early Sunday window with a 12:00 p.m. CT start. Because it is a regional broadcast, FOX decides which stations carry it, so viewers in Texas will see it on their local affiliate while some other parts of the country may get a different early game.
- Local FOX station: Free with an antenna in most of Texas, and included in standard cable and satellite packages.
- FOX One and the FOX Sports app: Stream the local FOX feed live; some access requires a TV-provider login.
- Live TV streaming services: YouTube TV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV carry local FOX stations in most markets, and Sling does in select markets. Check your zip code first.
- NFL Sunday Ticket: The legal option if the game is not on your local station because you live outside the broadcast area.
- Radio: Houston fans can listen on 95.7 The Fan. Dallas listeners can find the Cowboys on 105.3 The Fan.
- Outside the United States: Check the NFL’s international streaming service or the licensed broadcaster in your country, since rights differ by region.
For fans in India, the 10:30 p.m. IST start means a late Sunday night. Whichever route you choose, the simplest answer to where to watch Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys is your local FOX station, since that is the one place the game is guaranteed to appear. Open your FOX app or local listings about 30 minutes early, because pregame coverage starts before kickoff.
What’s Next for Both Teams
Houston’s season hinges on whether the offense can finally score touchdowns. Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys is the kind of game that can reset a season. A win would end the 0-3 stretch and, with the Houston Texans schedule offering Tennessee next, set up a much-needed run, with Tennessee up next and then Jacksonville and the Giants before the bye. Another loss would leave the Houston Texans standings at 0-4, the worst in the league, and an 0-4 start for the second straight year and a very steep climb in a division where the Jaguars already lead.
In the Dallas Cowboys vs Houston Texans matchup, Dallas needs a road win to avoid slipping to 1-3 on a short week before Tampa Bay comes to AT&T Stadium on Thursday. Cowboys vs Texans may favor the team with the better offense, and the Cowboys have the offense to compete with anyone, but they have given up 82 points in three games. The matchup that likely decides this one is Houston’s pass rush against Dallas’s offensive line, and Dallas’s run defense against a Texans ground game that has not found a rhythm. Whoever wins both fights will probably win the game.
The market says Houston by about two, and models say the same. In a game this close, this Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys result could easily go either way, and one turnover or one missed tackle could decide it. For the latest, check the Friday injury report, the inactives about 90 minutes before kickoff and the live game center during the game.
Check Match Highlights: New Orleans Saints vs Las Vegas Raiders | Washington Commanders vs Indianapolis Colts
Quick FAQs
Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT (1:00 p.m. ET).
FOX at noon CT, plus FOX One or Sunday Ticket.
Not Thursday; the Texans vs Cowboys 2026 game is Sunday at NRG Stadium.
Dallas, 4-3 in the Texans era, 13-9 counting the Oilers.
Houston Texans are 0-3; Dallas Cowboys are 1-2.
The Texans, by about 2.5 points; total near 47.5.
Nico Collins practiced limited Wednesday; Will Anderson Jr. was limited too.
NFLBalls.com, NFL.com and FOX Sports app, live after kickoff.
Source: ESPN
