Texans' Snap Counts vs. Cowboys: What Stood Out in Week 4 Loss

The Houston Texans have now lost the first four games on their 2026 schedule after the events of Week 4's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, 30-34.

And in the fallout of the Texans' Week 4 loss, we've now gotten our hands on the snap count totals from both Houston and Dallas in this weekend's game, giving us a glimpse at who on the roster played a good chunk of the day, and who might've seen a bit more of the opposite:

Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys Week 4 snap counts, via NFLGSIS. | NFLGSIS

And by looking at the Texans' side of things when it comes to their snap totals seen this weekend, there are a few noteworthy outcomes that deserve a bit of attention more than the rest for one reason or another.

Let's sort through four interesting aspects of the Texans' snap totals that stood out from their Week 4 loss to their in-state rivals:

What Stood Out in Texans' Week 4 Snap Counts

Oct 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) celebrates a touchdown catch with wide receiver Jaylin Noel (13) against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Increasing Work for Jaylin Noel

After weeks of much clamor for Noel to get more snaps and targets his way compared to the first three games of the year, this game against Dallas really felt like the Texans were eager to involve Noel a bit more than they had before. And in the reps he got, he took advantage of them in a big way.

Noel had the second most yards (85) and snaps (34/62% of the offense) within the receiver room behind only Nico Collins. And with the multiple explosives he generated, it gives the Texans more reason to get him involved moving forward.

Kenneth Murray Playing Over Wade Woodaz?

After the Texans had known Azeez Al-Shaair was going to miss this week with a groin injury, the expectation remained that fourth-round rookie Wade Woodaz would be the second starting linebacker to fill in next to Jake Hansen within Houston's front seven.

But it wasn't Woodaz to get the call up. Practice squad elevation Kenneth Murray was the one claiming a lion's share of those linebacker snaps, outside of the eight that he was out of the mix due to injury. Only then was Woodaz thrown on the defensive side of the ball, which might be a sign of just how polished the Texans view their day three rookie at this point in his career.

How the Texans Pivoted Without Mario Edwards Jr.

This was the first weekend the Texans' defensive line has had to do without Mario Edwards Jr., who tore his ACL in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts to sideline him for the rest of the season.

As to how the Texans pushed forward without Edwards, Jaden Crumedy took the snaps as Houston DT3 behind Sheldon Rankins and Tommy Togiai. He was mostly a non-factor, but the good news is that second-round rookie Kayden McDonald is gearing up to be elevated from injured reserve heading into Week 5.

Marlin Klein Was Healthy Scratch for the First Time

This piece doesn't show up within the Texans' snap totals, which is because the player in reference didn't see a single look in any capacity in Week 4––that being second-round rookie tight end Marlin Klein.

If anything, the Texans' first three weeks of offense seemed to hint that Klein was due for more snaps moving forward, not less. Instead, Houston sat their day two rookie out entirely, were limited in their tight end usage as a whole, and leaves you wondering as to what the front office's plan was when bringing the Michigan tight end into the building in the first place.

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