The Dallas Cowboys visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, October 4, at 1:00 p.m. ET in a matchup at Houston featuring two Texas franchises struggling in the early season. It was reported that both teams have experienced a complicated start to the campaign, with CJ Stroud generating early questions among fans and the franchise after high-scoring outputs faded.
Early-Season Struggles for Houston and Dallas
It was reported that the Houston Texans enter the contest winless at 0-2, while the Dallas Cowboys hold a 1-1 record. Houston opened its season with a 31-36 loss against the Bills before falling 6-20 to the Bengals in Week 2. Meanwhile, Dallas dropped its opener 20-28 on the road against the Giants before bouncing back to defeat the Commanders 37-20 in Week 2.
It was noted that the Houston offense has failed to replicate the high point totals seen in its season opener, leaving supporters looking for answers from CJ Stroud. On the other side, Dallas continues to grapple with defensive lapses despite using its first two global selections to reinforce that side of the ball. The Cowboys surrendered substantial point totals in their first two outings, struggling particularly against opposing rushing attacks last week.
Houston Texans Open as Favorites in Betting Markets
Early betting markets list the Houston Texans as 2.5-point favorites according to a median of three sportsbooks. The same data places the over/under total at 47.5 points, with early moneyline indicators giving Houston a 57.2 percent implied probability before accounting for the margin of the house. These figures were recorded on September 13 at 17:10 UTC, and are expected to shift as both teams play their intermediate schedule weeks.
Another perspective on the totals market highlighted that defensive vulnerabilities on both rosters could push the score past standard bookmaker projections. It was pointed out that Dallas must work against the pass and Houston’s defense has similar weaknesses, leading to a pick of over 45.5 total points for the matchup.
Houston and Dallas Meet for First Time Since 2025
The cross-state rivals finished the previous NFL season on contrasting notes, with the Houston Texans posting a 12-5 record while the Dallas Cowboys finished at 7-9-1 according to records verified through ESPN. Data tracked since the 2025 season shows no direct head-to-head meeting between the two franchises until this Week 4 clash.
Dallas must address its vulnerabilities against both the run and the pass, while Houston seeks offensive consistency.
