The NFL’s two Texan heavyweights, namely the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans, have known nothing but pain on the gridiron in recent years. The former of that duo is the most valuable franchise in the entire league, with Forbes estimating that the AT&T Stadium outfit is worth a mighty $10 billion. But even still, they have become somewhat of a laughingstock in recent campaigns, and their glory years seem like an eternity ago.
Their Lone Star State neighbors by contrast are considered one of the league’s smaller franchises and have been perennial underdogs throughout their relatively short existence. They have continually struggled in the doldrums of the NFL, but last season that all changed thanks to the drafting of superstar quarterback C. J. Stroud.
The number two overall pick led the Texans to the Wildcard Round of the playoffs last season, and this year, the NRG Stadium faithful are hoping that he can somehow find a way to take them even further this time around.
The two Texan giants will clash against each other in week 11, and both teams will be looking to underline their Lombardi credentials. While the NFL betting odds for week 11 haven’t yet been published, the Super Bowl odds certainly have, and they have the Texans as a +1100 sixth favorite for glory, and the Cowboys as a much longer +4000. So, with that being said and with the contrasting fortunes of Texas’ two teams firmly in mind, we ask if one of the state’s outfits manages to lift the Lombardi next February.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2024 season with high expectations, fueled by a promising roster and a strong preseason showing. The team’s management made it clear that the goal was not just to make the playoffs but to compete seriously for the Super Bowl. However, that has been the aim for several years now, and America’s Team continues to fail disastrously.
The regular season has never been a problem, and it doesn’t look like it will be this term either. The Cowboys are currently 3-3 and have had an up-and-down start to the season, but they should still reach the postseason as expected. Dak Prescott has been a consistent performer, amassing 1,602 passing yards and eight touchdowns. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb continues to be Prescott’s main target, picking up 467 receiving yards.
But despite impressive performances from those two, the Cowboys have already suffered two devastating losses. Their opening-day thumping at home to the lowly New Orleans Saints was almost as embarrassing as last season’s playoff elimination at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. Their Week 6 drubbing at the hands of the Detroit Lions was downright awful.
Dallas has several difficult tests on the horizon. Clashes with the likes of the San Francisco 48ers, Atlanta Falcons, and the Philadelphia Eagles all loom large, but it’s a week 12 contest with the upstart Washington Commanders that could make or break the Cowboys season.
The two teams are NFC East divisional rivals, and no one expected the capital city side to make much of an impression this term. However, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looks like the real deal, and his scintillating form has led the Commanders to the top spot in the division, they may well pip Dallas to a spot in the postseason if they emerge victorious.
Houston Texans
For years, the Houston Texans were seen somewhat like the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA. Both teams have a giant neighbor that is one of their respective league’s biggest names, while they have never been able to make it to a single final. However, over at NRG Season, the Texans began the 2024 season with tempered optimism, looking to build on the previous year’s success.
With new head coach DeMeco Ryans and a revitalized roster led by number two overall pick C. J Stroud, expectations were cautiously optimistic. But even the staunchest of Texans fans wouldn’t have believed what was about to transpire.
Houston won the AFC South for the first time in four years, before going on to knock off the Cleveland Browns in the wildcard round. They were then handily dispatched by the top-seed Baltimore Ravens, but not before the Texans had emerged as a genuine contender.
This season, they have strengthened even further. Powerhouse running back Joe Mixon arrived from the Cincinnati Bengals in a blockbuster deal. But the signing of the summer was the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, arguably one of the finest playmakers in the entire league. The additions catapulted the Texans into Super Bowl contention, and they have started the new campaign like they mean business.
Houston has already defeated a fellow AFC heavyweight in the form of the Buffalo Bills, winning by a score of 23-20 thanks to a walk-off field goal. Now, they have to transfer their impressive form into the second half of the campaign, where tough tests lie in their wake.
Their week 16 clash with the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs looks particularly tasty. Led by the incomparable Patrick Mahomes, KC picked up their second straight Lombardi at Super Bowl LVIII back in February, and if the Texans could halt their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, that would certainly make a statement to the rest of the league.
