Cowboys vs. Texans: Holiday Feast on Houston Banged-Up Defense?

Dallas receivers CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup may look to exploit the potential absence of Houston Texans’ rookie cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr.

The Dallas Cowboys have arrived at Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season at 9-3, looking every bit a serious contender to compete for the NFC crown.

Dallas is fresh off a 54-19 dismantling of the Indianapolis Colts, in which they dominated their opponent on both sides of the ball. In what Cowboys fans hope to be a precursor of things to come, the team is set to host the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium on Sunday. At 1-10-1, the Texans are playing out the string in what has been a disappointing season thus far.

With Dallas’ offense peaking, and Houston reeling, the two appear to be facing off at the right time … at least, for the Cowboys.

Texans rookie cornerback Derek Stingley has missed three consecutive games with what has been described as a mild hamstring strain. However, Houston’s first-round draft pick has yet to return to practice, putting his status for Sunday in jeopardy.

Despite some early struggles, the 21-year-old is widely considered to be among the top cornerbacks in the 2022 Draft class. He has tremendous speed and solid lateral movement, which make him a nightmarish matchup for receivers. Stingley routinely matches his targets both step-for-step, and in-and-out of breaks. He also possesses great instinct for making plays on passes thrown in his direction. His skill set will undoubtedly make him a player to be watched throughout the upcoming season.

Through his first nine games as a pro, he has compiled 43 total tackles, five passes-defensed, one sack and an interception.

Stingley has typically paired nicely with Steven Nelson, who has provided solid coverage on the left side of the perimeter. The rookie’s ability to match the footwork and speed of some of the NFL’s top wide receivers has allowed Nelson the opportunity to assimilate into the zone schemes typically employed by Texans coach Lovie Smith. In Stingley’s absence, the team has turned to reserve defensive back Desmond King, who combined for five tackles and lost a fumble in the Texans’ 27-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns last Sunday,

Unsurprisingly, Dallas’ corps of receivers are likely salivating at the thought of dissecting Houston’s secondary in Week 14. Stingley’s potential absence opens the door for another standout performance from CeeDee Lamb. Taking advantage of a banged-up Colts’ secondary, Lamb corralled five of seven targets for 71 yards and a touchdown while adding 23 rushing yards on two carries in Dallas’ win over Indianapolis. In addition to Lamb’s strong showing, fellow wideout Michael Gallup had four receptions on seven targets for 23 yards and two touchdowns, despite fighting an illness.

With quarterback Dak Prescott hitting his stride in the home stretch of the season, the Cowboys’ offense may be in for another big day on Sunday when the Texans come to town.

Kickoff between Dallas and Houston is set for noon on Sunday, Dec. 11 from AT&T Stadium. 

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL

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