Mixon’s 3 TDs Power Texans Past Cowboys on MNF

Joe Mixon and the Houston Texans had a field day against the Dallas Cowboys on primetime. AT&T Stadium has not been kind to its home team this season and Monday Night Football was no different.

Houston took the lead within three minutes and never trailed; suffocating Dallas’ offense on its way to a 34-10 win. Texans’ running back Joe Mixon ran for 109 yards and three scores to put the Cowboys to bed

After Monday night’s game, the Cowboys now stand second worst in points per game allowed (29.3) and sixth worst in yards allowed per game (365.7). Dallas (3-7) has now lost five consecutive games for the first time since 2015.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1858730806568427907

Cowboys Punished Early

Dallas was given a sign of things to come from the very first play of the game. Texans’ wide receiver Nico Collins took a pass 77 yards to the end zone, but Houston had the play called back due to a penalty.

However, just two minutes later, Mixon broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run that showed the many holes in Dallas’ defense. A few minutes after his first score, a Houston interception gave Mixon a much easier opportunity to drive in points. After a one-yard touchdown run, the Texans were up 14-0 in the first period.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1858689324340142581

Bad Gets Worse

Filling in for injured starter Dak Prescott, Cowboys’ backup quarterback Cooper Rush eventually got the Cowboys on the board. His pass to receiver KaVontae Turpin went 64 yards to the end zone, cutting Houston’s lead down to 14-7.

The teams traded field goals and the Texans went into halftime up 17-10. Houston’s defense did not give Dallas much breathing room after that.

A definitive moment in the game came in the fourth quarter when Dallas fumbled twice on the same play and Houston recovered for a touchdown that put some distance between the two teams.

https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/1858720156635062342

Although Dallas put up 388 total yards of offense, penalties and turnovers limited the team to just 10 points on the night.

By the final whistle, Mixon had sprinkled in another 1-yard score to close out the game and locked up a 34-10 win for the Texans.

The Cowboys are now 0-5 at home this season. Their losses have not been particularly close either, losing by margins of 25, 38, 28, and now 24 points.

Looking Ahead

Dallas hopes to get back in the win column on Sunday against division-rival Washington (7-4) at 1:00 p.m.

Houston (7-4) also faces a division rival on Sunday in Tennessee, hosting the Titans (2-8) at 1:00 p.m.