Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) prepares for a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys offense couldn’t manage to reach the red zone in the first half on Sunday against the Texans. Then the third quarter started and the Cowboys punched the Texans in the mouth. It was a tale of two halves.
KaVontae Turpin’s 48-yard kickoff return gave the offense great field position at Houston’s 49-yard line and you could feel the jolt of energy and intensity on the visiting sideline. Dallas scored TDs on four of five possessions in the second half for a dramatic 34-30 come-from-behind victory.
Following the opening series in the third quarter, which culminated in Javonte Williams’ first of three rushing TDs, a fired-up Dak Prescott walked the length of the bench, exhorting teammates.
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Dak is not overly demonstrative between series; he usually heads to his spot on the bench and reviews plays on the Microsoft Surface tablet with QB coach Steve Shimko. But Dak also has an uncanny knack for knowing when it’s time to say something, and he was fervent after that first series, talking up his teammates.
Dak’s message, and I’ll summarize because many of the more colorful words can’t be written on a respected site like SportsDay, was “tempo.” He repeated it to the offensive line and the receiving corps.
Tempo doesn’t always mean “hurry up” as in two-minute drill. It means getting the calls quickly, getting up to the line of scrimmage, and not allowing the defense to make substitutions, which means the defenders get worn down and mismatches can be exploited.
Obviously, the message of “tempo” was taken to heart. Don’t take my word for it.
“We put the pressure on them, we went tempo a lot more,” right guard Tyler Booker said postgame. “That helped us keep them from making a lot of subs. We had success dictating the style of play to them. … We went tempo a lot more on the ball and that forced their hand to leave some guys on the field and take advantage of personnel mismatches.
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“Knowing that certain guys are going to have the stay on the field, the D-line is going to rush really hard for the first two plays, but plays four, five and six, they’re not going to be rushing the same. And you can only cover CeeDee and George for so long.”
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb (88) smiles as he exits the field after defeating the Houston Texans in an NFL football game at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
Lamb’s fire: Exactly 25 miles from Reliant Stadium, CeeDee Lamb starred in high school for the Foster Falcons in Richmond. But for all his exploits in and around Houston, he had never played a game in Reliant Stadium.
Being close to home meant more friends and family had an opportunity to see him set a career-high in receptions (17) as well as score the game-winning TD with 40 seconds to play.
“My grandma came out and it was really good to see,” noted Lamb. “She doesn’t really come to many of my games and do the hoorah and screaming, so it was good to see my family here.
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“I’m grateful for it. … It was fire.”
Family matters: On the subject of family, linebacker Shemar James was a guest of the Jones family for the ride on their private jet back to Dallas following the game. Learning a baby was the way, the Joneses wanted to make sure James made it home in time for the birth of his child. Luckily for Jame, labor began during the weekend of the shortest road trip of the year (Houston), and not last week in Brazil when the return flight was 10.5 hours!
How did Christian Parker celebrate? When C.J. Stroud’s last-gasp Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete in the end zone on the game’s final play, there was jubilation on the Cowboys’ sideline. But how did defensive coordinator Christian Parker celebrate?
Before heading to midfield to shake hands with opponents, Parker had a quiet moment with CB Joey Porter Jr. as the two embraced for about 15 or 20 seconds. I couldn’t hear what Parker was saying to Porter as he whispered in his ear, of course, but hopefully we’ll find out from one of the two later in the week.
Parker and Porter spent extra time together the previous four days as the coaching staff brought Porter up to speed following the cornerback’s arrival via a trade with Pittsburgh.
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Porter started the game although he was on a pitch count of roughly 20 to 25 snaps as he ramps up after missing the first three games of the season while with the Steelers. Shavon Revel and Ameer Speed were part of the CB rotation with Porter.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (25) and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Tyrus Wheat (59) exit the field after defeating the Houston Texans in an NFL football game at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
DB shuffle: The addition of Porter was not the only change in the defensive backfield.
Cornerback Reddy Steward, elevated from the practice squad for the second consecutive week, played the slot in the nickel. That role was filled the previous three weeks by Caleb Downs who would slide down from safety (in the base defense) to the slot when the team went to five defensive backs.
On Sunday, Downs stayed at safety. Steward played the slot. Porter/Revel/Speed rotated at corner at the spot opposite Daron Bland. Malik Hooker returned to start at safety alongside Downs.
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Never question the toughness of Hooker, who returned to action after missing the previous two games with a broken forearm. At least four times he removed himself from the field after making a tackle or taking a hit on that arm that was protected by a soft cast. But each time, he returned to action and he was on the field to defend the Hail Mary to end the game.
Backup safety Alijah Clark, who also plays gunner in punt coverage, showed that he’s a tough guy, too. After injuring his ankle late in the third quarter, he could barely limp to the blue medical tent. Then a cart was called to take him to the locker room. Even though he was officially listed as questionable to return, I thought for sure he was done for the day because he could not put weight on his ankle.
But by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Clark – with a heavy tape job on that ankle, compliments of the training staff – was back on the field.
For all the injuries that have hit the defensive backfield, it looks like the Cowboys dodged a bullet with Clark’s ankle.
Way down the depth chart: All the injuries at DB have a domino effect, including special teams. Juanyeh Thomas, who rejoined the team last week, was elevated from the practice squad to play personal protector on the punt team. It’s a job he embraced in his first stint with the Cowboys. He became the fifth Cowboy to helm that position so far this season through four games.
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The tickets were how much? With all the Cowboys fans in the Houston area, it’s no surprise the resale value for tickets to Sunday’s game was high. Plus, the NFL’s scheduling formula means that an inter-conference road game like Dallas at Houston is guaranteed only once every eight years. The Cowboys don’t play in Houston often. Even so, Sunday’s tickets were even higher than I expected.
Two hours before kickoff, the least expensive ticket on StubHub was $408 (fees included) for a single seat in the upper corner of the end zone.
Kristi Scales is the sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network. She writes this column for The Dallas Morning News after each Cowboys game.