Joe Mixon Shines with 3 TDs as Texans' Offensive Line Dominates Under Pressure

 Joe Mixon Shines with 3 TDs as Texans' Offensive Line Dominates Under Pressure

Houston Dominates Dallas as Joe Mixon Shines with Historic Performance

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans heaped praise on running back Joe Mixon after a dominant showing in Houston's emphatic 34-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on "Monday Night Football." Mixon delivered a career-highlight performance, scoring all three of the Texans' offensive touchdowns and rushing for an impressive 109 yards.

Mixon’s trio of rushing touchdowns tied a franchise single-game record, making him only the fourth player in Texans history to achieve the feat. His performance marked the second-highest single-game touchdown total of his career. Ryans credited not just Mixon’s individual brilliance but also the exceptional effort of the offensive line.

“When Joe’s in his groove, he’s unstoppable,” said Ryans. “Our offensive line set the tone tonight. I challenged them to play fast and aggressive, and they delivered. The way we consistently pounded the ball on the ground makes me proud of these guys stepping up to the challenge.”

The offensive line’s dominance was evident in the numbers. According to ESPN Research, 79 of Mixon’s rushing yards came before contact, including a 45-yard untouched sprint to the end zone in the first quarter—his longest career touchdown. Mixon’s consistency also made history, tying a Texans record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown at six, a mark previously set by Arian Foster in 2011.

Mixon praised his blockers for their effort. “The O-line was locked in and imposing their will all game,” he said. “By the fourth quarter, they were like, ‘Let’s keep it going.’ That energy motivated me to push harder.”

The offensive line’s stellar play not only fueled the ground attack but also gave quarterback C.J. Stroud ample time to thrive. Stroud completed 67.6% of his passes for 257 yards, despite a single interception, and was particularly efficient off play-action, going 8-for-8 for 99 yards. The line reduced the pressure on Stroud to just 36% of his dropbacks, a notable improvement from the team’s season average of 41%.

“They were fantastic tonight,” Stroud said of his linemen. “It felt like I had time to sit back and survey the field. We’re moving in the right direction, and performances like this give us confidence.”

Mixon’s stellar season continues to place him in elite company. He became just the third player in NFL history to record 10 rushing touchdowns in his first eight games with a new team, joining Hall of Famers like Eric Dickerson.

Right tackle Tytus Howard highlighted the team’s growth. “This was our best week of practice, and it showed,” he said. “Now we need to keep building on this momentum for the rest of the season.”

With Mixon firing on all cylinders and the Texans playing their most balanced football yet, Houston looks poised to make waves as the season progresses.