One play that made S Mike Adam’s time with the Texans worthwhile

Safety Mike Adams announced his retirement from the NFL. There is one play that made his time with the Houston Texans worthwhile for everyone.

Houston Texans safety Mike Adams announced his retirement from the NFL on March 4. Though the 16-year veteran spent six games with the AFC South club in 2019, Adams’ time with the Texans was consequential.

It wasn’t so much what he did in the regular season, collecting just three tackles. Rather, it was the 38-year-old’s performance in the AFC wild-card versus the Buffalo Bills that fans and the organization will never forget.

On a first-and-10 from the Buffalo 25-yard line, quarterback Josh Allen dumped off a screen pass to running back Devin Singletary that flipped the field for a 38-yard gain. The chunk play could have been worse if not for Adams and his experience of playing 228 regular season games to that point. The two-time Pro Bowler waited for Singletary to come his way and used the sideline as a defender to make the tackle.

“The tackle he made on the screen pass down the sideline, using the sideline properly to — that could have been a touchdown,” coach Bill O’Brien said on Jan. 8.

If it would have been a touchdown, the Bills would have reclaimed the lead after the Texans had just secured it 19-16 on their last drive. Presuming the Bills make the extra point and create a 23-19 lead, quarterback Deshaun Watson and the offense would have had a little over four minutes to drive for a touchdown.

Instead, because of Adams’ tackle, the Bills’ drive stalled with Allen taking a 19-yard sack on fourth-and-27 from Houston’s 42-yard line.

Adams produced four tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble in his 66 snaps in the wild-card game, 55 of which came on defense.

Said O’Brien: “He’s just a really good guy, good pro. He’s been around a long time, studies well, prepares well. He’s been really good in that room.”

“Any time you have a guy on your team or multiple guys on your team that have played like 10-plus years in the league, they’re really guys that you want to point to the younger player and say, ‘Look at this guy. Here’s a guy who’s lasted a long time. This is a good guy to ask about how he lasted that long relative to doing what’s best for the team, taking care of his body, just having a good team attitude his whole career,'” said O’Brien.

Now, the Texans will have to look for another safety to fill the position that Adams vacates.