ARLINGTON, Texas — In the end, final score is all that matters to the Dallas Cowboys.
Down 23-20 with 3 minutes, 20 seconds to go, quarterback Dak Prescott engineered a 98-yard game-winning drive, capped by a 2-yard run from Ezekiel to give the Cowboys a 27-24 victory over the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium.
It was not supposed to be this hard for a Cowboys team who were favored by 17 1/2 points against the Texans, the largest point spread this season in the NFL.
The Cowboys, who gifted the Texans three turnovers, including two Prescott interceptions, certainly didn’t cover the spread.
But they are still streaking, winning their four straight game and sixth out of their last seven, to continue to try to keep pace with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East and conference race.
The win against the Texans, who suffered their eighth straight loss to drop to 1-11-1, moved the Cowboys to 10-3 on the season. It marks the first time since 1995-96 that the franchise has put together back-to-back 10-win seasons.
The Cowboys have a chance to win a fifth straight game against the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday, setting the stage for a Dec. 24 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cowboys must play much better than they did against the Texans.
5 Things from the Cowboys’ win over the Texans
— Dak Prescott interceptions are becoming a problem
Dak Prescott’s return from a fractured thumb has been key to the team’s success.
The Cowboys are first in points and second in yards since Prescott took the field against the Detroit Lions on Oct. 23.
But Prescott has enjoyed a nasty streak of interceptions.
With two picks against the Texans Sunday, he now has nine in his first eight games of the season for the first time in his career.
The one in the second quarter bounced off the hands of Noah Brown and set up a Texans touchdown.
The one in the fourth quarter nearly cost the Cowboys the game.
Both were by cornerback Tremon Smith. The second one gave the Texans a first down at the 4 with 5:37 left the game.
The defense held Houston out of the end zone and Prescott led a 98-yard game winning drive.
But the interceptions can’t be ignored.
— Cowboys were their own worst enemy
The Cowboys have no one but themselves to blame for the predicament they found themselves in against the Texans.
A muffed punt by KaVontae Turpin set up the Texans first score, a 1-yard run by Dameon Pierce in the first quarter.
And it was interception by quarterback Dak Prescott that tipped off the hands of receiver Brown and into the arms of Smith, who returned it 26 yards, that set up a 28-yard touchdown pass to put Texans up 17-14 with 2:23 left in the second quarter.
The Cowboys then blew chance to lead in the third quarter when running back Ezekiel Elliott was stoned on fourth and goal from the 1.
The Cowboys then allowed the Texans to drive 63 yards on 10 plays to extend their lead 23-17.
— Texans targeted CB Kelvin Joseph
Jerry Jones said last week it was time for troubled cornerback Kelvin Joseph to stand up and be a man.
Joseph has been inserted into the starting role at left cornerback following a season-ending torn Achilles to Anthony Brown.
Joseph has had only two career starts and had been a disappointment on and off the field since joining the Cowboys in the second round in 2021.
The Texans targeted Joseph for plays on Sunday. He allowed a 36-yard reception to Chris Moore, setting up a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, giving the Texans a 10-7 lead.
He gave up receptions of 18 and 9 yards on a field-goal drive to end the half, putting the Texans up 20-17.
Joseph did have a pass deflection in the fourth quarter to kill a Texans drive.
Opponents will continue to target Joseph while staying away from Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs.
— Texans keep Cowboys off balance
There was old saying that he have two quarterbacks you don’t have one.
And that latter my be true for the Texans.
But their use of a two quarterback scheme with Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel going in and out of the lineup keep the Cowboys defense off balanced.
Mills was efficient as the designated passer. He didn’t make any mistakes and was largely kept clean.
Driskel gave the Cowboys fits as a runner quarterback, directing the zone read. He rushed for 36 yards and also threw a 28-yard touchdown pass.
He also helped complement running back Dameion Pearce’s 75 yards on 20 carries through three quarters before finishing with 78.
It also helped the Texans to convert 7 of 15 third downs in the game, keeping the Cowboys offense off the field.
— Tyron Smith’s return comes at the right time
Left tackle Tyron Smith should return to the lineup next week on some capacity against the Jacksonville Jaguars. And comes at an opportune time for the Cowboys, who lost right tackle Terence Steele to a leg injury in the first half.
Josh Ball replaced him for much of the game, though Jason Peters took some turns at right tackle.
Smith’s return was slated to be at left tackle with Tyler Smith moving inside to left guard. Might the Cowboys move Tyler Smith to left tackle.
Steele’s absence might have played a role in the diminishing returns of a Cowboys running game that not early effective after gaining 52 yards in the quarter.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard ran for a combined 104 yards in the game. The numbers were lower than expected against a Texans run defense that ranked last in the league, giving up 169.1 yards per game.
Ball gave up a crucial sack in the fourth quarter that was followed by a Prescott interception.
