ARLINGTON - There’s a generic path to pulling off a heavy upset at the NFL level. It starts with getting a bunch of good luck and generally asks the defense and run game to hold the opposing quarterback to as few possessions as possible. The Dallas Cowboys , without starting quarterback Dak Prescott, attempted to do that on Monday night against the Houston Texans, hoping to give the AT&T Stadium fans something to boast about at the water cooler the rest of the week.
However, a competitive first half unraveled with the help of self-inflicted wounds and Dallas lost in ugly fashion, 34-10. © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cowboys managed to keep things close through two quarters, entering halftime at 17-10. But after a three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, the Texans were able to jump out to a two-possession lead.
With backup quarterback Cooper Rush asked to carry an increasingly heavy load and the game script sliding in their opponent’s favor, things got messy quickly. ..
. maybe forcing the organization to seriously consider a favorable spot in the 2025 NFL Draft via “Organic Tanking.” For now? The Cowboys are stuck with “signature” plays all gone wrong.
Late in the third quarter, Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey nailed a 64-yard field goal that was taken off the board because of an unnecessary roughness penalty on Houston. Granted a first down and 15 yards, the drive had new life but ended in a failed fourth-down conversion. The missed opportunity.
