The Cowboys not only suffered a disappointing loss in the final second in Rio, in a game they looked to be in position to win, but they also sustained even more injuries at key positions. And then, if that's not enough, they had to fly home on a 10-hour flight that got them back Monday morning, creating quite the turnaround for this week.
And guess who doesn't care? That would be Houston, a team that made the playoffs last year and is once again staring at 0-3 for the month of September.
So when the Cowboys and Texans meet up in another Lone Star State showdown, both teams will be in early-season desperation mode as they can't afford to fall too far behind the rest of the pack.
Here are some key storylines for both teams heading into Sunday's game.
Texans
Another 0-3 start – For the second straight year, the Texans have gotten off to an 0-3 start. While last year's team managed to rally and get into the playoffs, Houston will have to once again dig out of a hole. The Texans had a chance to get their first win last week but lost on a late field goal to the Colts, 19-17, in Indy. A year ago, Houston went 0-3 but finished the year with a 12-5 record, thanks to one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Texans won a Wild Card game before losing in the playoffs to New England.
Houston… what's the problem? – The Texans lost their first game of the season against Buffalo, 36-31, in a shootout that made it look like the offense was going to have a great season. And who knows, that might happen, but the last two weeks have been a big dropoff. The Texans are not as balanced in their run-pass splits, and the biggest difference is the points scored. Houston now has just 54 total points after scoring only 6 and 17 in the last two games.
Nico Collins back? – The Texans have been missing some key players on offense, including wide receiver Nico Collins, who sat out the last two games with a hamstring injury. Collins, who has three straight 1,000-yard seasons, had seven catches for 75 yards in the Week 1 loss to Buffalo. There is some optimism that he could return to the lineup to face a Cowboys secondary that is beyond depleted by injuries.
C.J. Stroud Assessment – Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is taking care of the football, with no interceptions thrown this year. But other than that, it hasn't been a great start for him or the Texans' offense. Not having Collins is certainly a factor, but the Texans are looking for playmakers in both the running and passing games. Stroud has just 54 rushing yards in three games, which is notable against a Cowboys defense that has allowed 176 yards to quarterbacks this year.
Lone Star showdown – When it comes to rivalries, this might be a bigger deal down in Houston, where the football teams have always been overshadowed by the Cowboys, whether it was the Oilers or now the Texans. So when Dallas comes to town, which will be for the first regular-season game since 2018, it's a big deal. And with the Texans at 0-3 and the Cowboys at 1-2, it's another desperation-type game for both teams. The Cowboys are 1-2 in the three games played in Houston since the Texans became an NFL franchise.
Cowboys
How do they respond? – As far as September games go, the loss to the Ravens in Brazil is about as heartbreaking as this franchise has experienced in recent years. The fact that they were on the 2-yard line in the final seconds of the game, needing a touchdown to take the lead, and not only managed a field goal but then gave up a big play on defense and lost the game on the final play, has left the team searching for answers regarding game management and strategy. Owner/GM Jerry Jones said on Tuesday's radio segment (105.3 "The Fan" in Dallas) that the staff went over each scenario from the fourth quarter in terms of "learning from our mistakes." The Cowboys are 1-2 and just a game behind the division leaders (Giants and Eagles) in the NFC East.
Un-SAFE position – Three games ... three safeties lost. That's not a good trend at all, even for a position that had so much depth at the start of the season. Now, the Cowboys find themselves searching for healthy bodies at safety after yet another player went down. Jalen Thompson suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out 4-6 weeks. In Week 2, the Cowboys lost P.J. Locke (foot), and that was after Malik Hooker suffered a fractured forearm in Week 1. So who's left? The Cowboys still have Caleb Downs, who has been playing more of a nickel safety/CB role, along with Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark. There is a chance Hooker, who wasn't placed on IR after the season opener, is getting closer to a return.
Setting the BAR high – Had the Cowboys finished the job and won the game Sunday in Rio, the player of the game likely would've been rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who continues to improve each week. Against the Ravens, he single-handedly stopped Ravens RB Derrick Henry in his tracks on a couple of short-yardage plays that kept the Cowboys in the game. He's taken over the middle linebacker spot with DeMarvion Overshown out the last two games because of a hamstring injury. The Cowboys will have a decision to make when Overshown returns because Barham has played well in his absence, forcing a big turnover in Week 2 vs. Washington and recording two key TFLs against Baltimore.
Hot & Cold red zone? – One of the bigger problems for the Cowboys in 2025 was red-zone efficiency, but through the first three games, the Cowboys rank second in the NFL with an 87.5 percent touchdown rate inside the 20. However, in Rio, some of the issues resurfaced, especially at the start and finish. Two of the biggest moments of the game occurred on Dallas' first and final drives, when they twice had the ball inside the 2-yard line and had to settle for field goals, despite the fact that Javonte Williams eventually rushed for 98 yards and was a problem for the Ravens' defense.
Assessing Aubrey & special teams – The Cowboys re-signed Brandon Aubrey in the offseason as the highest-paid kicker in the NFL. And while he's had some nice moments already this year, it hasn't been perfect, especially in areas you might not expect. He's already missed a long extra point, had a field goal blocked in Rio, and also had two kickoffs go out of bounds. Now, the decision to kick the ball out of the end zone at the end of regulation wasn't his call, but Schottenheimer did say Aubrey's struggles to keep it between the lines were one reason they decided to have him kick deep, which helped the Ravens get into position to win the game.
