The most bizarre call of the Houston Texans’ 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys was the fourth-and-goal run from the 3-yard line.
Quarterback Jeff Driskel took the run-pass option and cut it inside for a 1-yard gain, resulting in a turnover on downs. Houston still had a 23-20 lead with 3:21 to go in the game, but Dallas marched 98 yards in 11 plays to score the go-ahead touchdown.
If Houston had scored a touchdown, they would have made it a two-possession game and next to impossible for the Cowboys to tie them 30-30, even with Dallas having all three timeouts.
According to guard A.J. Cann, the Cowboys showed a vulnerability to that play-call in their film sessions throughout the week.
“We worked that play,” Cann told reporters after the game. “We saw it work against them on film. It’s a copycat league. We tried it. They were on it. They figured it out. They saw it and they made a great play.”
Driskel said that the intent for the play was to run to the edge, but the Cowboys defense had already beaten him there, which forced him to cut inside where he only picked up a yard.
The goal-to-go opportunity was the only wasted Texans takeaway of the afternoon as cornerback Tremon Smith got his second interception and setup Houston as the Dallas 4-yard line with 5:37 to go in the game.
“Defense gives it to us on the five and everybody on our sideline thought there’s no way we don’t get this ball in,” Driskel said. “I thought every snap we were going to be able to get it in. I thought Chris [Moore] was really close on the naked [bootleg]. We’ve just got to find a way to punch it in.”
Houston falls to 1-11-1 and goes back to NRG Stadium to host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15.