Texans' 3 Biggest Matchups vs. Cowboys That Could Decide Week 4

The Houston Texans have a pivotal Week 4 battle against the Dallas Cowboys on the horizon; one that could really define their season as they head into this one at a lowly 0-3 record.

And in this battle against two Texas-based teams, there's going to be a good bit of star power going up against one another––and a select few matchups that might just dictate how good or bad the Texans' record might look coming out of the weekend.

With that in mind, let's sort through three of the biggest matchups the Texans have on their hands for Week 4 against the Cowboys:

Nico Collins vs. Joey Porter Jr.

Aug 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) catches a ball and warm-ups before the Houston Texans played the Las Vegas Raiders at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texans are expected to get a couple of reinforcements into their lineup for this must-win Week 4 matchup, and one of those will be their star wide receiver Nico Collins.

What makes Collins' return even more exciting is the fact that he'll be up against one of the NFL's biggest hot topics of the week, Joey Porter Jr., who is set to make his Cowboys debut after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and will likely be taske with the assigment of the Texans' star pass-catcher throughout the day.

Whoever wins this matchup will have a big influence on how the Texans' offense performs as a whole. Because in the two games that Collins hasn't been in the mix for this receiving core, the result hasn't been too appealing.

Derek Stingley vs. CeeDee Lamb

Aug 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) and teammates enters the field out of the tunnel before the Texans play the Las Vegas Raiders at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Combining the talent that the Texans have in their secondary with the Cowboys' offensive arsenal, this weekend sets up to be a bloodbath all around. But of any matchup between those two groups, how Derek Stingley Jr. takes on the task of a red-hot CeeDee Lamb might be the most exciting of them all.

Despite these two being in the league with one another going on five seasons now, they've only faced off against each other one time. Lamb had his way last time against the Texans, where he logged eight catches for 93 yards on 12 targets.

However, on the five times Stingley was targeted in that game, he allowed just one catch for eight yards, while also recording an interception–– on top of a victory.

There's little doubt that Stingley had the upper hand last time. So if the Texans can get a repeat performance from their All-Pro corner, that'd be a huge lift for their defense.

Ed Ingram vs. Quinnen Williams

Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans guard Ed Ingram (69) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with Nico Collins' pending return, the Texans are also expecting to get starting right guard Ed Ingram back in this game after a two-week absence, which is sure to be a big lift to not just Houston's overall offensive line success, but particularly their performance in the run game.

Since the Texans saw David Montgomery cap off a three-touchdown performance in his debut vs. the Buffalo Bills, their run game hasn't seen near the same types of heights. They also haven't had their best run blocker in Ingram available in the lineup, so perhaps this week could be a shift in the right direction.

The Texans will have their hands full with yet another star on the opposing defensive interior this week, though. Thought the past few games, Houston has had a gauntlet of interior defenders for their offensive line to be up against, such as Ed Oliver, Dexter Lawrence, and DeForest Buckner, and Quinnen Williams will be no different.

If Williams shows that he has the upper hand, and presents another big task for the Texans' offensive line to overcome, an 0-4 start could quickly become an outcome that's in play.

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