The Houston Texans’ second taking of the lead was probably the wakeup call that let the Dallas Cowboys know the 1-10-1 team wasn’t going to lie down in Week 14.
On a second-and-11 from the Dallas’ 28-yard line, quarterback Jeff Driskel rolled to his right and heaved a ball to the goal just as he was about to head out of bounds. Wideout Amari Rodgers caught the ball while defending by safety Donovan Wilson and crossed the goal line for a touchdown to help give Houston a 17-14 lead with 2:30 to go until halftime.
According to Rodgers, the play-action pass wasn’t even supposed to go his way.
“I just ran a wheel route,” Rodgers told reporters after the game. “I was really just supposed to clear out the safety. It wasn’t supposed to come to me. But I was playing fast and was ready for the ball. He threw it to me, and I just made the play.”
On the rollout, Driskel was initially supposed to check down to the tight end. However, the former San Francisco 49ers 2016 sixth-round pick saw more.
“He saw the safety wasn’t looking,” said Rodgers. “If the defender’s back is turned to you, you’re open. So, that was a great throw by him. I just happened to come down with it.”
Rodgers had a career-high four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys in the 27-23 loss.
Getting his first score lifted a burden off of Rodgers.
Said Rodgers: “It felt amazing just being able to get in the end zone and get that weight lifted off me. I definitely feel like I’ll be able to continue to make plays now that I’ve made that play. Just being able to have that feeling, it felt amazing. I’ve just got to keep working and building that trust with the staff and the quarterbacks. Hopefully, we take off from it.”
Rodgers was active in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns and saw 18 offensive snaps but was not targeted once.
