Joe Mixon Tallies 3 Touchdowns as Texans Demolish Struggling Cowboys

Houston Rolls to 4th Straight Victory; Dallas Drops 5th Straight Despite Minshew’s Impressive Debut

The Houston Texans continued their improbable turnaround Sunday, pulling away in the second half for a 31-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at NRG Stadium. The win was Houston's fourth straight and moved them to 4-2 on the season, while Dallas dropped to 1-5 following their fifth consecutive defeat.

Joe Mixon led the way for Houston with 156 yards rushing and three touchdowns, including a 63-yard scamper in the third quarter that put the game out of reach. Davis Mills completed 15 of 24 passes for 180 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

Gardner Minshew made his first start for the Cowboys and impressed despite the loss. Minshew finished 24 of 40 for 255 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also rushed for 44 yards on six carries, including a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys took an early 7-0 lead on Minshew's touchdown run, but the Texans responded with 17 unanswered points to take a 17-7 lead into halftime. Mixon scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, and connected with Mills on a 10-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Ka'imi Fairbairn added a 27-yard field goal late in the second quarter.

Houston extended its lead to 24-7 early in the third quarter on Mixon's 63-yard touchdown run. Dallas cut the deficit to 24-14 on Minshew's 19-yard touchdown run with 12:51 remaining in the game, but the Texans put the game away on Mixon's 3-yard touchdown run with 6:36 remaining.

The Texans' defense held the Cowboys to just 318 total yards, and forced two turnovers. Jonathan Greenard led Houston with two sacks, while Christian Harris and Desmond King II each had an interception.

The Cowboys will look to snap their losing streak next week when they host the Philadelphia Eagles. The Texans will travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders.