The Dallas Cowboys battled their in-state rivals, the Houston Texans, in a back-and-forth game, but Dallas came out on top with a 34-30 win.
Dallas’ offense delivered a stellar performance, led by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Their game-winning touchdown late in the game sealed the Cowboys’ win.
As for the defense, it left much to be desired after allowing 397 yards of offense, including 335 passing yards. Many Cowboys fans were eager to see cornerback Joey Porter Jr. make his first appearance with the team after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded him. While Porter didn’t play many snaps, the sample size shows his potential.
Joey Porter Jr.’s Stats From First Game With Dallas Cowboys
If fans look at the box score, they might see Porter’s name missing because he didn’t record any stats. He was on the field, though; 105.3 The Fan’s Bobby Belt shared Porter’s coverage stats for the game.
“Joey Porter Jr. had 16 coverage snaps per @SumerSports : 0 receptions, 0 yards, 0 targets.”
Pro Football Focus gave Porter a 69.7 overall grade for his first game. He got a coverage grade of 69.3 and a run-defense grade of 60.0.
The Steelers traded Porter to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. Pittsburgh originally drafted Porter in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In 47 games, he has racked up 165 tackles, 31 pass deflections, 3 interceptions, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.
This was Porter’s first game of the 2026 season after dealing with a back injury. He was also in a contract dispute with the Steelers since the offseason.
What to Make of Joey Porter Jr.’s Debut With Dallas Cowboys?
It may not have been the standout performance Cowboys fans hoped for, but it was clear Houston stayed away from Porter. They didn’t throw it his way once during the game.
That shows NFL offenses respect that Porter is on the field. They purposely don’t throw it his way when he’s on the field.
This is a long season, and the Cowboys didn’t throw him into the fire right away. He’s still got a lot to learn with the defense.
It will be tougher for him because the Cowboys are on a short week, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the schedule for Week 5 on Thursday night. That will mean Porter will have played two games with the Cowboys in about a week.
His snap count could increase, but he will likely be limited as well, since two games in one week isn’t enough time to learn the scheme. Still, he is showing why the Cowboys gave up two picks to trade for him.
Cowboys Hit Early Jackpot With Joey Porter Jr. Trade in Texans Win