Texans' 3 Biggest Keys to Victory vs. Cowboys in Must-Win Week 4 Game

The Houston Texans have a pivotal Week 4 game on tap this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys––one in which they'll be trying to land their first victory of the 2026 NFL season after going winless through the first three weeks of the year.

And there's some reason to believe Houston can turn things around against their in-state rivals this weekend. The Texans are back at home after last week's road trip. Nico Collins is back healthy and in the lineup, and this team is certainly hungrier than ever to land their first win of the season.

For the Texans to get a win to go their way in Week 4, though, there are a few aspects throughout the day that certainly need to go their way to make that finally come to fruition.

Let's break down the three biggest keys to victory the Texans face against the Cowboys in Week 4, and finally put a long-awaited first win on their record.

Get Nico Collins Involved Early and Often

Nov 18, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) runs with the ball as Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker (28) defends during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Texans will finally be getting their No. 1 wide receiver back in the lineup this week with the return of Nico Collins, and that's a huge lift for this passing offense that's been largely struggling without him for the last two weeks.

So there's no doubt that in Collins' return, the Texans need to get all they can out of Collins to try and lift this offense from the depths they've been at through their 0-3 start. Especially against a high-powered offense and wide receivers like the Cowboys have on their side, Houston needs to do the best they can to match that production themselves.

Using Collins' explosiveness, ability as a vertical downfield threat, and red zone target, can give Houston a lot of what they've been missing at wide receiver without him, and lead to a big day against this new-look Cowboys secondary led by Joey Porter Jr.

Establish the Run Game at All Costs

Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (4) is introduced before playing against the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans' run game hasn't shown many improvements from the way things ended up last year through their early sample size of this season. Houston is currently in the bottom three in the NFL for total rushing yards and the bottom eight for rushing yards per attempt; lacking a real sense of potency or efficiency.

So the Texans have to turn things around on the ground moving forward this year. And against a Cowboys run defense that's remained largely inconsistent through the first three weeks of the season (allowing over 530 rushing yards on the season), Houston has a perfect opportunity on their hands to get right.

Whether the Texans bank on Montgomery's ability as a power runner, Woody Marks' speed and explosiveness, or a combination of both, Houston can't afford for their run game to look as it has for the past two weeks if they want to have a successful offensive performance.

Defense Must Hold Their Own Without Azeez Al-Shaair

Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair participates in a drill during the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Texans are set to get reinforcements on the offensive side of the ball for key pieces like Nico Collins and Ed Ingram, their defense will be without one of their most important playmakers and leaders within their front seven, in Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Being without Al-Shaair is a big loss for the Texans' defense on its own. He's their green-dot signal-caller and the team's leading tackler for the past two seasons. However, Houston will also be without another starting linebacker, knowing that Henry To'oTo'o still remains on injured reserve for the shoulder injury he sustained in Week 1.

So for Jake Hansen, who's expected to claim his role as the green dot, and rookie Wade Woodaz, they've got a tall task on their hands: move forward without Al-Shaair for at least one game, and hold their own in the middle of the field against a Dallas offense that's ranked seventh in scoring in three weeks.

If Hansen and Woodaz don't get picked on too heavily, we know the Texans have more than enough talent in other areas of their defense to compensate and step up. But the linebacker unit remains the biggest question mark of the day.

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