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Since 2002, the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys have battled for the Governor's Cup six times, with America's Team having a 4-2 edge over their in-state counterparts. But with injuries having taken it's toll on the Cowboys, the Texans will enter Monday night's matchup in Dallas as significant favorites, despite the fact that the AFC South leader has dropped their last two games and hasn't been a model of pristine health either.
Part of the reason for the optimism of the folks in H-Town is the impending return of wide receiver Nico Collins, who has been on the shelf for the past five weeks.
Per NFL insider Tom Pelissero:
“Texans WR Nico Collins (hamstring) is off the injury report and good to go Monday night vs. the Cowboys.”
Collins was activated off of the Injured Reserve last week, leading many to believe that despite a questionable tag heading into Houston's Sunday Night Football matchup with the Detroit Lions, he was on track to make his return to the field after being out of action for over a month. However, at the last minute Collins was ruled out for the game, and it proved to be a costly loss. The Texans allowed a 16-point halftime lead to evaporate in large part because they didn't score a single point in the 2nd half.
CJ Stroud, Texans sure to receive big boost from return of Nico Collins
Collins' last action was on a 67-yard touchdown reception he secured early in a Week 5 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The fourth-year wideout tweaked his hamstring on the play and was eventually placed on the IR. Up until that point, the Texans had scored ten offensive touchdowns in 46 offensive drives. From the time that Nico Collins exited that Texans win over Buffalo on October 6th, the Texans have mustered just 12 offensive touchdowns in 71 possessions.
Even worse, of those 12 touchdowns, just five have come via the right arm of CJ Stroud, the reigning NFL Rookie of the Year who has been enduring something of a sophomore slump in 2024. But when throwing to Collins, Stroud was hardly slumping. At the time of his injury, Collins was the NFL's leading receiver. He had already scored 3 touchdowns, and for the second consecutive year, he was hauling in over 70 percent of his targets.
A return against Dallas could mean that both Collins and the entire Texans offense is bound for a big game under the lights on Monday Night Football. Entering Week 11, the Cowboys are ranked 31st in the league in points allowed.
