If anyone has the power to talk about football in Texas, that’s it. Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion passed. Overshown played at Arp High School near Tyler, enrolled in Texasand is in his second year with the Cowboys.

However, his comments before Dallas’ showdown with the Houston Texans On Monday, eyebrows were raised.

“When it’s battle for Texas, especially with the season they’re having, a team they think runs the state,” Overshown said via Jon Machota of Athletics. “Even though it’s a tough year for us, we still lead the state of Texas. So we have to go there with that pride and that mindset is still our state and we’re still the big brothers.

The statement was a curious one to make for several reasons. First of all, as Overshown alluded to, the Texans have been significantly better than the Cowboys this year: 6-4 to 3-6. Second, as the two teams are inter-conference rivals, they don’t cross paths often. Why, at best, needlessly provoke a lukewarm rival?

Dallas leads the all-time series 4-2, although Houston has by far the most famous victory in the series (a 19-10 upset in its very first NFL game in 2002). If the two teams can forge a legitimately interesting rivalry on par with those between Dallas and Houston teams in other leagues, the NFL will be all the better for it.