Scoop-and-score gives Texans 27-10 lead

The Texans let the Cowboys hang around far longer than they should have, but Derek Barnett and Jalen Pitre finally put them to bed.

Barnett beat left tackle Tyler Guyton for a strip-sack of Cooper Rush. Guyton picked up the fumble, and Pitre stripped Guyton of the ball.

Barnett picked up the loose ball and scampered to the end zone.

The 28-yard touchdown gave the Texans a 27-10 lead with 12:31 left.

Barnett made up for his penalty, a head slap on Brandon Aubrey’s 64-yard field goal attempt, earlier in the second half. The Cowboys took the points off the board, took the 15-yard penalty and ended up getting nothing out of the drive.

On fourth-and-2 at the Houston 8, Rush threw incomplete.

Rush now has two turnovers, having also thrown an interception.