One of the strangest plays from the Houston Texans 38-24 loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday was defensive back Kareem Jackson returning a fumble recovery 70 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien says his team didn’t give up on the play, instead citing it was a bizarre play.
“That was weird play,” O’Brien told reporters Monday. “The ball came out, the back judge said he was down, the rest of the officials let the play go, somebody heard a whistle, the ball was scooped up by one of their guys.”
On a first-and-10 from the Broncos’ 37-yard line with 3:52 to go in the quarter, receiver Keke Coutee fumbled after an 8-yard catch when linebacker Jeremiah Attachou stripped the ball on Coutee’s way to the ground.
Attachou picked up the loose ball and attempted a return, but was held up by tight end Jordan Akins.
“Akins had him in the grasp, and then he handed the ball to Kareem and Kareem ran it back for a touchdown,” said O’Brien. “It was just a strange play.”
As proof of the Texans’ not giving up on the play, but simply caught off guard by the back judge saying Coutee was down and thinking there was a whistle, left tackle Laremy Tunsil sprinted for Jackson.
Said O’Brien: “I don’t think anybody — I mean, Laremy Tunsil, he chased the guy down the field to try to catch up with him. Did you see that? That was unbelievable. He didn’t catch him, but he was gaining. So, I don’t think we gave up on the play.
“I just think it was a strange play.”
The Texans are hopeful the strange plays will go their way for the rest of the season as they commence their season series with the Tennessee Titans in Week 15 at Nissan Stadium.
