Cowboys vs. Texans Week 4: Dallas Finally Finished, But Plenty Still Needs Fixing | Broaddus's Scout's Eye

Dallas' 34-30 win over Houston was a game that changed dramatically after halftime.

The Cowboys trailed 16-6 before scoring 28 points in the second half. They finished the game with a 74-yard touchdown drive, capped by Dak Prescott hitting CeeDee Lamb on a post route for the game-winning touchdown with 40 seconds remaining.

What was surprising about the play was Houston allowing Lamb a free release.

With the game on the line and Dallas' best receiver working inside, the Texans never disrupted the route.

That was costly.

Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and the Houston Secondary

The biggest matchup was Prescott and the Cowboys receivers against a talented Houston secondary.

Eventually, Dallas found the answers.

Lamb became the matchup Houston simply couldn't solve. He finished with a franchise-record 17 receptions for 189 yards, including the winning 12-yard touchdown.

George Pickens only caught two passes, but they went for 75 yards, including a 53-yard explosive play that helped change the game.

What made Lamb so difficult to handle wasn't just the catches. It was his route running combined with the way the Cowboys' offensive staff moved him around the formation.

Houston couldn't consistently get its hands on him or disrupt the timing of his routes.

Dallas found Lamb underneath, worked him in the intermediate areas and kept forcing the Texans to adjust.

They never really did.

Houston's defensive front gave Dallas problems, though.

Prescott was pressured and sacked three times, particularly when he had to hold the football waiting for routes to develop. Even when Dallas committed extra blockers to protection, there were snaps where Houston's four-man rush still created problems.

But the Cowboys survived it.

Spreading Houston out helped. So did Prescott getting the ball to Lamb underneath and in the intermediate areas.

Then, when the opportunity presented itself in the second half, Dallas was able to attack vertically with Pickens.

The route running from Lamb and Pickens was outstanding, and it was one of the major reasons the offense was so successful after halftime.

Tyler Booker, Tyler Guyton and the Offensive Line

I thought Tyler Booker was outstanding, and Tyler Guyton played extremely well.

Both were able to win their share of one-on-one blocks in the running game and in pass protection.

It wasn't nearly as easy for Terence Steele.

Dallas gave Steele help throughout the game with tight ends and running backs, which allowed him to get the job done.

What stood out, though, was the final drive.

There were several snaps where Steele was left one-on-one and had to handle his assignment by himself.

He did.

When Dallas absolutely had to protect Prescott, the offensive line gave him enough time to finish the game.

The Run Defense Was a Major Positive

The Cowboys' run defense was probably the most encouraging defensive development.

Houston finished with just 62 rushing yards on 19 attempts, an average of 3.3 yards per carry.

Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark were strong inside, while Williams and Rashan Gary each recorded a sack of C.J. Stroud.

We knew coming into the game that Houston wasn't a particularly capable running team at this point in the season, so the Texans having to lean heavily on Stroud wasn't surprising.

Dallas made sure they had no other choice.

The Pass Defense Remains a Problem

This is where the Cowboys still have work to do.

Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns, while Nico Collins finished with 118 yards and two scores. Houston averaged 7.6 yards per offensive play despite running only 52 offensive snaps.

Dallas can't dismiss that simply because it won the game.

The run defense was considerably better, but the coverage problems and explosive passes continue to show up.

When Houston was able to protect Stroud, there were opportunities down the field.

That remains an area Dallas has to clean up.

You can't give up that type of production through the air every week and expect to consistently win games.

KaVontae Turpin Changed the Game

The other matchup that mattered was Dallas' special teams against Houston's coverage units.

KaVontae Turpin's returns gave the Cowboys excellent field position coming out of halftime and helped ignite an offense that had been stuck in the mud.

Dallas needed something to change the momentum of the game, and Turpin provided it.

Those types of plays matter.

You don't always have to manufacture momentum offensively. Sometimes another phase of the team can give you the field position or energy you need to get things moving.

Dallas Finally Finished

What stands out to me is that Dallas won this game without controlling it in the traditional way.

Houston generated explosive plays in the passing game.

The Texans' defensive front created pressure without always having to bring extra rushers.

But Dallas survived it.

The Cowboys eliminated Houston's running game. Turpin provided outstanding field position. The offensive line battled through some difficult matchups. And Prescott continued to find the receiver he trusted most.

When the game was on the line, Dak went right back to CeeDee Lamb.

That's the encouraging part.

A week after failing to finish against Baltimore, the Cowboys got the football with 2:15 remaining and went 74 yards in 11 plays for the winning touchdown.

This time, they finished.

Joey Porter Jr.'s Cowboys Debut

Playing Joey Porter Jr. will help going forward.

Porter played 24 defensive snaps in his Cowboys debut after being traded from Pittsburgh just days earlier. He played 19 snaps in coverage and was targeted only once, allowing no receptions. In five coverage matchups against Nico Collins, Collins was not targeted while Porter was covering him.

That's an encouraging first step.

There are still plenty of things for Porter and this secondary to learn, but the physical tools are obvious. Getting him more comfortable in the defense should give Christian Parker another piece to work with moving forward.

My Biggest Concern

Dallas still surrendered 30 points and nearly 400 yards.

The run defense looked considerably better, but the coverage and explosive passes remain an issue.

Those problems didn't disappear because the Cowboys won.

My Biggest Positive

Prescott, Lamb and this offense showed they can win a game late against a talented defensive unit.

Dallas needed someone to make the play when the game was there to be won.

Dak trusted CeeDee.

CeeDee delivered.

That's something this offense can build on.

THE SCOUT'S EYE

Dallas finally finished.

That's the biggest takeaway from Houston.

But finishing one game doesn't mean everything has been fixed.

The Cowboys still have to improve their pass defense, limit explosive plays and continue finding ways to protect Prescott against talented defensive fronts.

The encouraging part is that I saw a team make the critical plays it couldn't make the previous week.

Now they have to do it again.

And they'll get their next opportunity quickly.

Tampa Bay comes to AT&T Stadium Thursday night on a short week. The Buccaneers enter the matchup 0-4, making the quick turnaround another test for Dallas and its ability to build on this win.

— Bryan Broaddus