CNN
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Joe Mixon scored three touchdowns and rushed for 109 yards, while Derek Barnett scored on a fumble as the Houston Texans ended their two-game losing streak with a 34-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night in Arlington, Texas.

With the win, the Texans improve to 7-4 on the season, remain in first place in the AFC South, and bounce back after losing to the Detroit Lions in a game where they squandered a 16-point second-half lead and intercepted . quarterback Jared Goff five times.

“We just played four quarters, we didn’t really change anything, we didn’t change our philosophy,” Texans quarterback CJ Stroud said about whether the team changed anything in tonight’s game.

“We looked back at some other games and if we had done that we would have finished top. Now we have to learn from those things, that’s a good lesson to learn from where we are now. Our future is ahead of us and we want to put ourselves in the right position to play good ball from December to January and go into the play-offs.”

After a two-touchdown opening quarter, Houston’s offense stalled until Mixon ran for his third of the night in the fourth.

The Texans defense, led by Jalen Pitre, who finished with a team-leading nine tackles, and Derek Stingley Jr., who had an interception and dropped a few more, gave the Cowboys problems all game.

Trailing 20-10 in the third quarter, Dallas appeared to cut the deficit to seven points after kicker Brandon Aubrey scored a 64-yard field goal. But the Texans’ Barnett was called for a 15-yard head blow penalty, giving the Cowboys another set of downs.

Houston has had problems with penalties all season, Barnett’s penalty was the Texans’ eighth of the night and the Texans’ 80th of the season – the third highest in the league.

Dallas did not capitalize on the Texans’ miscue, however, as a pass from quarterback Cooper Rush was nearly intercepted by Calen Bullock, before the backup signal caller made a bobbled snap a few plays later, and the Cowboys ultimately turned the ball over. downs to spoil the 13-play drive.

Playing for injured starter Dak Prescott, who is out for the season with a hamstring injury, Rush finished with 354 passing yards, a touchdown pass and an interception in the loss.

After forcing the Texans to punt on their next possession early in the fourth quarter, Dallas was once again ready to cut the deficit, but the Texans defense once again took over.

It was the turning point in the match, as Barnett made up for his earlier penalty by hitting Rush’s arm as he tried to pass, causing him to fumble. Cowboys player Tyler Guyton initially recovered the ball, but then fumbled it after a hit by Pitre.

Barnett recovered the loose ball and ran it in for the Texans’ first defensive touchdown of the season to go ahead 27-10 with 12:31 left in the fourth quarter.

“Derek Barnett, the play he made, really changed the game for us,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said after the game. “It turned the momentum around. It got everyone on the sidelines excited, it was just a huge game.

Houston’s defensive unit finished with five sacks while holding the Cowboys scoreless in the second half.

The Cowboys, who lost All-Pro right guard Zack Martin and left guard Tyler Smith to ankle injuries in the game, are dropping their fifth consecutive skid for their longest skid since 2015. Dallas also lost tight end Jake Ferguson to a concussion and safety Markquese Bell for a shoulder injury.

“It’s very frustrating. It’s frustrating for everyone, frustrating for players, frustrating for coaches. I know it’s disappointing for the fans,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of the team’s five-game losing streak.

“We’re not playing well enough, performing well enough and coaching well enough to overcome some of the mistakes we make in the critical moments of the game.”

Dallas has trailed by at least 20 points in six consecutive home games dating back to last year’s playoffs, extending their NFL record.

At 3-7 on the season following the loss, the Cowboys are in third place in the NFC East and further out of the playoff picture.

“We’re just not playing that well,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game. “We just don’t play well and that is noticeable in several things during all matches. It’s not really about the score at home, it’s just the way we play.”

Dallas next plays the Washington Commanders on Sunday, November 24, while the Texans play the Tennessee Titans.

A piece of sheet metal fell from the ceiling of AT&T Stadium prior to the Cowboys’ game against the Texans, a Cowboys spokesperson told CNN.

“We can confirm that a piece of metal became loose and fell onto the field (with some additional small debris) while the roof was in the process of opening,” said Scott Agunek, Cowboys director of football communications. “There were no injuries. It is being investigated further and a decision will be made if possible on the possibility of safely reopening the roof.”

Alleged videos and photos of the fallen piece of metal appeared to show a piece of sheet metal approximately 10 feet long and 21 feet wide being removed from the field.

NFL officials ordered another piece of loose metal to be secured in the trusses before the game could be safely played, and it was also decided to keep the roof closed for the game itself.