IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys are 4-1 for the first time since 2008, and no Cowboy team has ever started 4-1 and finished worse than 9-7, meaning the 8-8 seasons of the past might be no more.

The Cowboys beat the Houston Texans, 20-17, in an overtime thriller Sunday.

Dallas won on a 49-yard field goal, giving a four-game winning streak, their longest since 2011.

Yet instead of celebrating, the Cowboys’ new found status as a playoff contender, the talk following Sunday’s win against the Texans concerned fans at AT&T Stadium.

There were so many Houston fans at the game on Sunday that the Cowboys offense had to use a silent count at home.

Quarterback Tony Romo took time out of his press conference to call out the fans for selling their tickets and giving away the team’s home-field advantage.

“I was a little bit surprised by the number of Houston fans,” Romo said. “Today we played on the road. We had to go to a silent count, and that was the first time I had to do that throughout the game at home.

“We need to do a better job as a team, as a fan base, to make sure how big of a difference playing at home is. I think going forward I’m going to press the issue. We just need to tighten up on selling our tickets.”

This was not the first time an opposing team has filled AT&T Stadium. It happened in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers and it happened against the New Orleans Saints.

It was a big deal against the 49ers because the Cowboys lost, 28-17.

It was a non issue against the Saints in a 38-17 run away victory.

Coach Jason Garrett said if the Cowboys do what they are suppose to do they won’t have to worry about the opposing fans.

“We’ve had interesting home games this year,” Garrett said. “One of the things we have to do as a team is we have to give our fans reason to cheer.

“There are a lot of Cowboys fans there (Sunday). When we do things the right way and give our fans reason to cheer and be loud, typically those things work out well for us.”

REPORT CARD VS. THE TEXANS

RUSH OFFENSE: A — The Cowboys rushed 33 times for 140 yards, including 31 for 136 by running back DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys want to get other backs involved, but none play with the physical style of Murray, who gets a lot of little dirty runs and keeps plugging away.

PASS OFFENSE: A — Quarterback Tony Romo was at his best, completing 28 of 41 passes for 324 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. His ability to avoid a sack and toss a 43-yard touchdown to Terrance Williams was a thing of beauty. Receiver Dez Bryant made the play of the game with a miraculous catch in overtime to set up the game winning field goal.

RUN DEFENSE: D — The Cowboys are not the same run defense with Rolando McClain on the sideline. McClain was in and out of the lineup Sunday because a groin injury. Arian Foster gashed the Cowboys defense for 23 carries for 157 yards. It wasn’t all about missing McClain. They missed tackles and lost gap control up front.

PASS DEFENSE: A — Ryan Fitzpatrick is not a very good quarterback and the Cowboys treated him as such, limiting him to 154 yards on 16 of 25 passes of mainly underneath throws. Orlando Scandrick got his first interception of the season. The Cowboys did not get a sack which continues to be a problem.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D — The Cowboys had too many penalties on special teams that put them in bad field position. Dwayne Harris had a 38-yard punt return, but he also fumbled a punt. Dan Bailey missed a 53-yard field goal before making the game-winner from 49 yards.

COACHING: A — The Cowboys won a game when they didn’t play their best. They had two red zone turnovers. They blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead and then missed a game winning field goal at the end of regulation. They won anyway.