Dallas Cowboys rally past Texans 34-30 in first Houston matchup since 2018
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 04: Ceedee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys is defended by Derek Stingley Jr. #24 of the Houston Texans in the first half at Reliant Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON - Dak Prescott’s late touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb helped Dallas overcome Houston’s fourth-quarter comeback and improve to 2-2.
Cowboys rally past Texans
What we know:
The Dallas Cowboys answered their early-season defensive struggles with a late-game rally Sunday, beating the Houston Texans 34-30 in the first meeting between the two Texas teams in Houston since 2018.
The Cowboys trailed 30-27 with less than three minutes remaining before Dak Prescott led a decisive final drive. Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb for a 12-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left, giving the Cowboys the lead for good.
The victory moved Dallas to 2-2 after the Cowboys entered the game looking to recover from a disappointing loss to Baltimore. The Cowboys' defense has allowed nearly 30 points per game through the first three weeks, and let up exactly 30 points to this Houston Texans offense.
How Texans let a late game lead slip away
The other side:
Houston, meanwhile, remained without a win, at 0-4, after letting a late lead slip away with under a minute to go.
The Texans controlled much of the first half and took a 16-6 lead into halftime, but Dallas responded in the third quarter, scoring twice to pull within 23-20 entering the final quarter.
Runningback Javonte Williams gave the Cowboys the lead with a 2-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Houston answered when Woody Marks scored on a 6-yard run, putting the Texans ahead 30-27 with 2:23 remaining.
CeeDee Lamb’s historic catch lifts Dallas to 2-2
That left enough time for Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense to produce one final response. Lamb was Prescott’s primary target throughout the afternoon and finished the game with 17 catches, including the game-winning touchdown.
What's next:
Stroud helped Houston move the ball consistently, connecting twice with Nico Collins for touchdowns. But the Texans could not finish the game after taking the late lead.
The Cowboys and Texans had not played since 2024, when Houston won 34-10 in Arlington. Dallas now holds a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series.
The Source: Information in this article was provided from live coverage of the NFL game.