ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) 鈥� Derek Barnett forced the first fumble and returned the second for a touchdown on the definitive defensive play of the game for the Houston Texans.
Joe Mixon did his thing, and C.J. Stroud didn鈥檛 have to do much to extend the misery of the Dallas Cowboys.
Mixon ran for three touchdowns to extend his TD streak to six games since coming back from an ankle injury, , and the Texans beat the Cowboys 34-10 on Monday night.
The Texans (7-4) stopped just the second two-game losing streak in Stroud's two seasons while maintaining a two-game lead in the AFC South.
Houston pulled away in the second half a week after a 26-23 last-play loss to Detroit at home when the Texans let a 23-7 halftime lead get away and lost despite .
鈥淚t's not as bad as it ever seems, and it's never as good as it ever seems,鈥� Stroud said. 鈥淭hose type of games, you have to come out with a win, especially going up like that the half. But what are we going to do about it?鈥�
In a season filled with things gone wrong for the Cowboys (3-7), as it was opening a few hours before the game.
There was no delay and no injuries were reported, just another mishap to foreshadow a fifth consecutive defeat for a team that lost five games total in each of the past three playoff seasons.
Cooper Rush threw a but lost his second start since Dak Prescott's season-ending hamstring injury.
The Dallas losing streak is its longest since a seven-game skid in 2015, and the Cowboys dropped to 0-5 at home. Dallas is the first team in NFL history to trail by at least 20 points in six consecutive home games, including last season's wild-card playoff loss to Green Bay, according to Sportradar.
鈥淲ell, they better be frustrated,鈥� coach Mike McCarthy said. 鈥淚 mean, we鈥檙e all frustrated. I think there鈥檇 be something wrong if they weren鈥檛 frustrated. So just very honest with everything and stay in tune with what鈥檚 right in front of us. And that鈥檚 the only way I鈥檝e ever done it.鈥�
The Cowboys were down 10 early in the fourth quarter when Barnett knocked the ball out of Rush's hand as he was throwing. Dallas rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton caught it and was trying to run when Jalen Pitre knocked the ball loose again.
Barnett scooped it and scored, although he almost stepped out of bounds running free toward a pylon.
鈥淭he play he made really changed for game for us,鈥� Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. 鈥淚t flipped the momentum. It got everybody juiced up on the sideline. It was just a huge play.鈥�
Earlier, the Cowboys appeared to have pulled within a touchdown on a 64-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey, but Barnett was penalized for slapping Terence Steele on the rush.
Dallas erased the points by taking the penalty, but Rush's fourth-down pass from the Houston eight-yard line was incomplete on the only good scoring chance of the second half for the the Cowboys.
鈥淭he defence played with elite energy,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淥ne big play that we gave up. Like to have that one back, but overall I think our guys played really well.鈥�
Texans receiver Nico Collins returned after missing five games with a hamstring injury and took a screen pass 77 yards to the end zone the first time he touched the ball on the first play of the game, only to have it called back because of an ineligible receiver downfield.
That possession ended with a touchdown anyway on , and he ran wide for a one-yard score and 14-0 lead. Mixon had 109 yards rushing and set up a field goal with a 37-yard catch-and-run on a screen.
鈥淚 really love that first play because it showed what we could do in this game,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淓ven though it got called back, I just told all our guys, 鈥榃e can go score on these guys again. Just get it in your mind we鈥檙e going to score again.鈥欌��
Already without Prescott, the Cowboys lost tight end Jake Ferguson to a concussion and perennial All-Pro right guard Zack Martin and left guard Tyler Smith to ankle injuries. Rush was sacked five times, three on the same possession when Martin and Smith were injured.
Stroud, who has been in a mini-slump, threw for 257 yards while avoiding any mistakes after an early interception on fourth down. It was the third time in five games without a touchdown pass, and he has two TDs and three picks in that stretch.
Rush was 32 of 55 for 354 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Turpin had three catches for 86 yards.
Injuries
Texans DE Will Anderson Jr., who entered the week tied for fifth in the NFL with 7 1/2 sacks, was inactive because of an ankle injury. ... Cowboys DB Markquese Bell didn't return after injuring a shoulder covering a kickoff in the second quarter.
Up next
Texans: Host Tennessee on Sunday.
Cowboys: At Washington on Sunday.
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AP NFL:
Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press
