Following a 1-2 start to the 2026 NFL season, there is plenty of blame to go around for the Dallas Cowboys. Of course, it starts with a wide-ranging issue: the head of the snake, Brian Schottenheimer. His miscues are already piling up, and he's starting to remind fans of Jason Garrett reincarnated.
And while the Cowboys' issues could also be broken down to the nitty-gritty, with things like failing to keep contain on quarterbacks in the pocket and losing the field position battle because of a few errant Brandon Aubrey kickoffs, one standard, good ole' fashion issue is plaguing this team.
An inability to stop the run.
Jerry Jones' worst nightmare has come alive once again, as Christian Parker's unit is showing improvement in some areas after a disastrous debut, but they are porous when other teams put it on the ground. Opponents are just lining up and running the ball straight down the Cowboys' throats.
But a Week 4 matchup with the Houston Texans could be a chance for Dallas' defense to get back on track in this realm and gain some confidence. By that same token, if the Cowboys can't buck up and stop their cross-state rival, it'll be time to start asking some serious, uncomfortable questions.
Cowboys' run defense has struggled mightily to begin 2026 NFL season
Now, let's acknowledge that Dallas has played some tough opponents with good rushing attacks, and facing three very mobile quarterbacks in as many weeks is no easy task. It changes the game (and the box score) when the threat of a running signal-caller is present. But the numbers don't lie.
The Cowboys have been gashed on the ground through three games.
Opponent Stat vs. DAL | Week 1 vs. NYG | Week 2 vs. WAS | Week 3 vs. BAL |
|---|---|---|---|
Rushing Attempts | 37 | 32 | 38 |
Rushing Yards | 165 | 182 | 192 |
Rushing Touchdowns | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Yards per Attempt | 4.5 | 5.7 | 5.1 |
To put it mildly, that is horrid. And a lot of these are self-inflicted wounds, as Dallas has missed 33 tackles in three games. Opponents have racked up an unbelievable 304 of their staggering 539 yards against this team after contact. That's a problem.
Here is how the Cowboys stack up against the rest of the league in run defense, and a comparison to how they fared last year. I hate to bring Matt Eberflus into this, but in a small sample size under Parker, things are actually quite a bit worse when it comes to defending the ground.
Opponent Stat vs. DAL | League Rank in 2026 | League Rank in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Rushing Attempts | 32 | 16 |
Rushing Yards | 31 | 23 |
Rushing Touchdowns | 18 | 31 |
Yards per Attempt | 29 | 26 |
Winning or even staying competitive in games will be nearly impossible going forward if the Cowboys can't correct this. The fact that they've won and somewhat stayed in their other two games is a miracle, but it's not sustainable. Luckily, a weak rushing attack is on the docket in Week 4.
Dallas' Run D may get a break in Week 4 against the Houston Texans
The duo of David Montgomery and Woody Marks isn't overly intimidating on the surface. The recent addition of Dare Ogunbowale from the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad doesn't move the needle either. And a closer examination of their rushing success could indicate a Cowboys get-right game.
Houston, to their credit, is punching the ball into the end zone on the ground. Dallas' defense must hold firm near the goal line, but the Texans' rushing attack may not even allow them to get there. Take a look at where they rank league-wide.
Metric | League Rank |
|---|---|
Rushing Attempts | 24 |
Rushing Yards | 30 |
Rushing Touchdowns | 7 |
Yards per Attempt | 25 |
In three games against a mixed bag of opponents, Houston has logged just 254 rushing yards on the year. That's only 62 more than Dallas gave up last week. In the last two games, the Texans have mustered only 130 total yards, which would be the lowest single-game allowance by the Cowboys.
By far.
Not to mention, the crew of running backs they have across the state isn't exactly elusive. They've broken just 10 tackles all year, eight of which came in Week 1, and ran for 153 yards after contact, 79 of which were on opening weekend. Houston cannot get back on track against Dallas.
If the Cowboys can't stop the Texans' run game...
It might be time to hit the panic button and ask those uncomfortable questions we've been supressing if Dallas can't get it done.
Not on the whole season or on Parker or Quinnen Williams or anyone in particular. But Cowboys fans can't possibly feel good about this phase of the game going forward if a lowly Texans rushing attack has any kind of notable success against Dallas. It'd be demoralizing.
And it would make life difficult for a Cowboys offense that may be trailing in a game. If the defense can't stop a nosebleed and the clock keeps running, then Schottenheimer and the crew wouldn't be able to play from behind. Obviously, you hope to stay in front, but this is the NFL. It happens.
To be fair, the Giants and Ravens both have great rushing attacks, but the Commanders aren't exactly word-beaters, and they had success. To instill any confidence in this fanbase and to get their mojo back, Parker's group has to completely stifle this Texans ground game.
Otherwise, we may have a problem... in Houston. (Ba-dum tss)
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