Dallas Cowboys suffer fifth straight defeat at the hands of Texans

It wrapped up a bad night for the Cowboys after debris fell from their stadium’s roof as it was opened before the game

Dalton Schultz of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Photograph: Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Dalton Schultz of the Houston Texans runs the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Photograph: Sam Hodde/Getty Images

The Houston Texans strengthened their NFL playoff hopes as they eased to a 34-10 win over the ailing Dallas Cowboys.

The win gives the 7-4 Texans a two-game cushion at the top of the AFC South, while the Cowboys fall to 3-7 after a fifth straight defeat.

Joe Mixon ran for three touchdowns, the first two giving the Texans a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. KaVontae Turpin cut the gap when he converted a 64-yard touchdown pass from Cooper Rush at the start of the second quarter, but the Cowboys were only able to add a Brandon Aubrey field goal from 53 yards.

Ka’imi Fairbairn added field goals either side of that effort to stretch the Texans’ advantage and Derek Barnett made it 27-10 as he ran in a fumble return from 28 yards at the start of the fourth quarter.

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Mixon rounded off a one-sided Texas clash, running in from a yard out late on.

It wrapped up a bad night for the Cowboys which had started with debris falling from their stadium’s roof as it was opened before the game. There were no reports of injuries.