The Houston Texans are 0-4 after Sunday’s 34-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Three of the four defeats have been by five points or fewer, and Houston has held a fourth-quarter lead in three of those losses. The latest one may hurt the most. The Texans led Dallas 30-27 with 2:23 left, only to watch the Cowboys drive 74 yards for the winning touchdown.
At 0-4, the Texans sit at the bottom of the division alongside Tennessee. Jacksonville is 3-1, while Indianapolis is 2-2. The playoff picture is getting increasingly difficult for Houston, too. Only the 1992 San Diego Chargers have started 0-4 and still reached the postseason. Houston can point to last season for some hope; the Texans also started poorly in 2025, going 0-3 before recovering to earn a wild-card berth, but this year’s hole is deeper.
C.J. Stroud was excellent against Dallas, completing 21 of 31 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Nico Collins also returned from injury with seven catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Houston finished with 397 total yards, nearly matching Dallas’ 399. The problem is that those performances have not translated into wins because the defense keeps breaking down at critical moments.
The Defense Is the One Fix Houston Cannot Avoid
Last year’s elite defense has disappeared at the worst possible time. It was the only reason Houston entered 2026 as Super Bowl contenders. The unit has struggled with communication, coverage and tackling. Will Anderson Jr. put the situation bluntly: “We’ve got to find a way to finish these games.” That has become the defining problem of Houston’s season.
Stroud and the offense had just given Houston a 30-27 lead. The defense then needed one stop. Instead, Dak Prescott completed the comeback with an 11-play, 74-yard drive. CeeDee Lamb repeatedly found openings in the secondary, finishing with a career-high 17 catches for 189 yards and the winning touchdown. Houston’s inability to contain Lamb turned what could have been its best win of the season into another painful loss.
Stroud has protected the football, Collins is back, and the offense has shown it can produce explosive plays. They simply could not close, which was similar to Houston’s Week 1 game against Buffalo, where they lost 36-31. DeMeco Ryans now has to fix the communication and coverage issues quickly, whether that means changing personnel, adjusting the scheme or becoming more involved in defensive play-calling.
Houston travels to Tennessee in Week 5 for an 0-4 vs. 0-4 AFC South matchup. It is difficult to call any October game a true must-win, but this one comes close. If the defense can finally finish a game, Stroud and the offense should have enough firepower to beat the Titans.
