The Houston Texans hadn’t done much through almost two quarters of their second preseason game.
Although the Texans were taking on the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, they were resting their first-teamers on defense. The Texans were having trouble moving the ball, and time was short with 14 seconds left.
On a third-and-10 from Houston’s 35-yard line, quarterback Davis Mills heaved the ball down the right sideline for receiver Phillip Dorsett.
“We needed the play,” Dorsett told reporters Monday at Houston Methodist Training Center. “The offense was stagnant. We needed somebody to just go out there, just make a splash play just to get everybody up off their feet.”
Dorsett managed to catch a 32-yard pass that was initially ruled incomplete. The Texans were still going to get a big play out of it as the officials ruled unnecessary roughness against the Rams, a 15-yard automatic first down. However, replay determined Dorsett caught the ball and the pass was complete.
“It was Cover 2,” Dorsett explained. “I had a hole shot. Davis laid it up there and I saw the safety coming, so, I just focused on the ball, catch the ball, brace yourself, take the hit, try to get your feet down. I didn’t know if I got them down, but once I took the hit and I wasn’t dazed or nothing, I just took my helmet off and they were jawing at me, so I just jawed back at them.”
The play setup the Texans for their first score of the game. Mills threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Collins — another acrobatic catch — and it would not have been possible had Dorsett not made his big play with the penalty tacked on.
Houston finishes up the preseason against the San Francisco 49ers Aug. 25 at NRG Stadium.