The Dallas Cowboys started strong against the Houston Texans, but as the game went on, the score started to show just how far apart the two teams are right now. The Texans have their own issues to fix, but the Cowboys’ struggles were impossible to ignore during Monday night’s game.
One of the most head-scratching moments came late in the third quarter. Coach Mike McCarthy decided to take three points off the board after Houston was flagged during Brandon Aubrey’s incredible 64-yard field goal. Keeping those points would’ve made it a one-score game at 20-13. Instead, the Cowboys walked away with nothing, and things only got worse from there.
In the end, Dallas lost 34-10. While backup quarterback Cooper Rush looked slightly better than last week, he wasn’t nearly good enough to keep his job as the starter. It’s time for the Cowboys to give Trey Lance a shot.
Why Trey Lance Should Get the Start
Let’s talk about Rush’s performance. He dropped back 55 times (a questionable strategy by McCarthy) and completed just 55% of his passes. He threw for 354 yards, but 64 of those came from a short pass that KaVontae Turpin turned into a touchdown. His stats might look decent on paper, but the Texans dropped at least four would-be interceptions, and CeeDee Lamb even had to commit a penalty to stop an end-zone pick.
Rush also struggled with accuracy all night. He missed open receivers, including a high throw to Jonathan Mingo on a critical 4th-and-2 in the red zone. And let’s not forget the sack fumble that Houston turned into a touchdown, putting the game completely out of reach.
Why Lance Deserves a Chance
Cooper Rush is a solid backup. He’s been with the team for seven years, and the locker room respects him. But let’s face it—he’s hit his ceiling. At 30 years old, what you see is what you get.
Trey Lance, on the other hand, is only 24 and has untapped potential. Sure, he’s not perfect, and we saw his flaws during the preseason, but his upside is worth exploring. The Cowboys traded for him, so why not see what he can do? With Dak Prescott injured, this is the perfect opportunity to test the waters.
Both Rush and Lance are free agents after this season. Rush isn’t likely to improve, but Lance could still grow into a reliable backup—or maybe even more. Dallas has six games left, and they have nothing to lose by giving Lance a shot.
It’s time for the Cowboys to stop playing it safe and start thinking about the future. Let Trey Lance take the reins and see what he’s got!
