The Houston Texans’ penultimate drive with 6:29 to go in the game wasn’t going to makeup for their 24-0 deficit to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium.
It was highly improbable Houston would get three more chances at the ball, score on each one, convert three two-point conversions, and turn the Colts three-and-out every possession.
The Texans were well on their way to 2-10 and their second straight season of double-digit losing campaigns — the first such instance since 2005-06.
Yet Brandin Cooks was going all out as if it were a potential game-winning drive. On a fourth-and-15 from the Texans’ 26-yard line with 5:38 to go, Cooks caught a short crosser from rookie quarterback Davis Mills and sprinted for the line to gain near the left sideline.
Cooks joined Texans Radio play-by-play Marc Vandermeer and sideline reporter John Harris on Sports Radio 610 [KILT-AM] Monday to explain why he kept giving maximum effort despite the results well in hand.
“At that point, you obviously, for the most part, you know the game is over, but just the way I play the game, I respect the game too much and so do the guys out there on the field that continue to play,” said Cooks. “We’re just trying to find a way to stay on the field and get something positive for the offense. Hopefully, we score some points or something like that.
“But when I saw the marker, I thought to myself to at least give it a try no matter what the situation is, because you’re trying to play the game like you’re trying to win it.”
Cooks was inches short and the ball went back to the Colts, who padded their lead with a Deon Jackson 3-yard touchdown run to establish the game’s 31-0 final score.
The Texans offense finished with 141 yards total offense. Cooks accounted for three catches for 38 yards and a carry for 16 yards.
