Even with Nico Collins back, Joe Mixon remained the standout player in Houston’s offense during their win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.
Mixon had another strong performance, rushing for 109 yards and three touchdowns, and also adding 44 yards in the passing game as the Texans (7-4) broke their two-game losing streak with a 34-10 victory.
Collins made his presence felt in his return after missing five games due to a hamstring injury, catching four passes for 54 yards.
Mixon has now scored at least one touchdown in six straight games, which ties a franchise record. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in six of his eight games this season, and his nine rushing touchdowns in the past six games set a franchise record for the most in a six-game stretch.
“Joe has been amazing,” said quarterback C.J. Stroud. “He’s been someone who came in and showed the team how to win more… he taught guys what it takes to reach that goal. We’re not there yet, but we are making progress.”
Mixon gave Houston an early lead with a 45-yard touchdown run on the opening drive, then scored again with a 1-yard run to make it 14-0 in the first quarter. His third touchdown, another 1-yard run, made it 34-10 in the fourth.
“Joe, when he’s on, he’s a force for us,” said coach DeMeco Ryans. “Over 100 yards, three touchdowns, I just really liked how we kept grinding the ball in the run game.”
Mixon’s performance helped the Texans overcome their second-half struggles that had affected them in the past few games. They scored 17 points after halftime on Monday, after managing only 15 combined points in the second halves of the previous four games.
