NFL Monday night: Top receiver returns as Texans down Dallas

When Nico Collins left the Houston Texans’ lineup five games into the 2024 season, the former Clay-Chalkville High School star led the NFL with 567 receiving yards.

After missing the past five games, the wide receiver returned to the field for the first time since Oct. 6 on Monday night with four receptions for 54 yards in the Texans’ 34-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Houston didn’t need a big game from Collins in his return. Running back Joe Mixon did the heavy lifting for the Texans with 109 yards and three touchdowns on 20 rushing attempts and two receptions for 44 yards.

With Dak Prescott out for the season because of a hamstring injury, the Cowboys got 354 passing yards from backup QB Cooper Rush. But Rush threw one interception, Dallas fumbled twice on one play (with Houston defensive end Derek Barnett returning the second one 28 yards for a touchdown) and the Cowboys went 0-of-4 on fourth down.

In addition to Collins, eight players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Houston-Dallas game:

• Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury kept Anderson out of the lineup for the second straight game.
• Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (Alabama A&M) had four receptions for 54 yards and one rushing attempt for 4 yards.
• Trevon Diggs (Alabama) started at cornerback for the Cowboys. Diggs made six tackles and broke up one pass.
• Texans linebacker Christian Harris (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
• Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State) started at right offensive tackle for the Texans.
• Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (American Christian) was designated as a game-day inactive. A concussion kept Lassiter out of the lineup.
• Cowboys defensive end Carl Lawson (Auburn) did not record any stats.
• Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (Alabama) had three receptions for 33 yards. Metchie also made a tackle when Dallas failed on a fake punt on its first possession.
• Jalen Tolbert (McGill-Toolen, South Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Cowboys. Tolbert had two receptions for 21 yards.
• Henry To’oTo’o (Alabama) started at linebacker for the Texans. To’oTo’o made seven tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.
• Jimmie Ward (Davidson) started at safety for the Texans. Ward made two tackles.
• Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams (Lee-Montgomery) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
• Cowboys wide receiver Seth Williams (Paul Bryant, Auburn) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
• Texans offensive tackle Kilian Zierer (Auburn) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

• Houston improved to 7-4 after coming in off back-to-back losses. Dallas fell to 3-7 with its fifth loss in a row. Including last season’s playoff game, the Cowboys have lost six in a row at home, and they’ve trailed by at least 20 points in each of them – an NFL record.

   

  Dallas plays the Washington Commanders in an NFC East game at noon CST Sunday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

   

  Houston plays the Tennessee Titans in an AFC South game at noon Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston.