The Dallas Cowboys erased a 10-point halftime deficit and defeated the Houston Texans 34–30 on Sunday, October 4, after Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for the winning touchdown with 40 seconds remaining.
Lamb finished with a career-high 17 receptions for 189 yards. His 12-yard touchdown completed an 11-play, 74-yard drive that began after Houston had regained a 30–27 lead late in the fourth quarter.
How Dallas completed the comeback
Houston controlled much of the first half and led 16–6 at the break. The Cowboys’ offense changed the game after halftime, scoring touchdowns on four second-half possessions.
Running back Javonte Williams supplied three rushing touchdowns after the break. Prescott completed 32 of 45 passes for 335 yards, according to the final game statistics reported by Reuters.
The decisive drive briefly appeared in danger when Dallas faced fourth-and-4 from its own 32-yard line. Prescott connected with Jake Ferguson for seven yards to extend the possession, then used completions to Lamb and George Pickens to move into scoring position.
Houston had taken the late lead on a six-yard Woody Marks touchdown after a hook-and-lateral play produced a major gain. The Texans could not stop the Cowboys’ response.
Lamb delivers a career day
Lamb was the central matchup throughout the afternoon. His 17 catches were a career high, and his 189 receiving yards repeatedly helped Dallas recover from long-yardage situations.
Prescott’s final touchdown pass arrived against pressure and gave the Cowboys their first lead since early in the game. Houston received the ball once more, but Dallas prevented a final scoring drive.
What the result means
Dallas improved to 2–2, keeping pace in the NFC East after an uneven first month. Houston fell to 0–4 despite its most productive passing performance of the season.
C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Nico Collins, returning to the Texans’ lineup, caught seven passes for 118 yards and both scores. Houston nevertheless lost another close game after failing to protect a fourth-quarter lead.
The result was one of several notable finishes in Sunday’s early window. Readers can also see AskNovus coverage of the Patriots’ 29–26 comeback against Buffalo and the Colts’ 30–13 win over Washington in London.
Key numbers from the game
Dallas produced 28 points after halftime after managing only two field goals in the opening two quarters. Williams’ three rushing scores gave the Cowboys the red-zone finish they lacked early, while Lamb accounted for more than half of Prescott’s passing yardage.
Houston’s passing attack was efficient enough to win, but the Texans finished with only 46 rushing yards and accumulated repeated penalties at critical moments. Those mistakes increased the burden on a defense that had already faced three consecutive Dallas touchdown drives.
The Week 4 result does not decide either team’s season, but the standings consequence is immediate: Dallas returns to .500 before a short week, while Houston remains the AFC’s only 0–4 team and must solve its late-game problems quickly.
Sources
Featured image: Gene Gallin/Unsplash. The image is illustrative and does not depict this game.