EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Dameon Pierce could hardly believe what happened, losing a costly fumble, the first of his stellar rookie season inside the red zone during the fourth quarter Sunday.
It was a rare error by the Texans’ standout running back, a top NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, during a 24-16 road loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
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When Giants defensive tackle Leonard Williams ripped the football out of Pierce’s grasp, the Texans were at the New York 10-yard line following tight end Jordan Akins’ 46-yard catch-and-run. Trailing 21-10 at the time, the Texans lost a key opportunity and finished 1 for 6 in the red zone overall. The red-zone failures, including Pierce’s fumble, spelled the difference between winning and losing for the 1-7-1 Texans.
“I was in a compromising position,” Pierce said. “These are trained killers in this league. They see ball, they go get ball. I got to do a better job with double arm wrapping. I’m going to fix that. I’m going to handle that. (Running backs coach Danny Barrett) is going to handle that, most importantly. Long week for me.”
When Pierce, who rushed for 94 yards on 17 carries, including a 44-yard run, lost his grip on the football, he was on the ground after the turnover with his hands on his helmet. It was a feeling of lost opportunity for Pierce, who has rushed for 772 yards to lead all rookies.
“Bro, we’re in the red zone,” Pierce said. “That’s the last thing that should happen, especially me. I’m that much harder on myself. I’m harder on myself than anyone. Just in that moment, I was thinking, ‘Dang, man, that could have cost us in the long run.’ And it eventually did.
“In the future, I’ve got to make sure I’m more disciplined and more aware of the situation. I’ve been doing good. It ain’t nothing wrong. It’s just being aware of it, addressing the problem and getting it fixed. I got to handle it.”
With his physical running style, Pierce has emerged as the top weapon on the Texans’ up-and-down offense
Between his fumble, a fourth-quarter penalty on Texans rookie offensive guard Kenyon Green that nullified a Davis Mills touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks and Mills’ subsequent interception on a pass intended for Phillip Dorsett, the red zone setbacks were a recurring issue.
“I mean, it is what it is,” Green said. “I got to get better, better hand placement. It’s been tough. You come back in the game and you got a chance and can’t finish it. We’ve got to get back to work.”
Pierce, though, has been a solution, not a problem all season. He hadn’t lost a fumble until Sunday and hadn’t fumbled since losing two that were recovered in a loss to the Chicago Bears.
“Stuff happens, that’s all I’m going to say,” Texans coach Lovie Smith said. “I’m definitely not going to criticize Dameon Pierce knowing what he’s been doing for our team, but you’ve got to protect that football, yes.
“He knew it, we know it, can’t do that, but he played the way he normally plays, and that’s giving his all every time he has an opportunity to. More of us need to play as well as Dameon has played throughout this year.”
Earlier in the game, the Texans struggled to run the football against Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s unpredictable scheme that brought pressure from several angles and players.
Mills was sacked four times and hit a dozen times overall. Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had five tackles, one sack and five quarterback hits
“They was crazy up front,” Pierce said. “They were doing some things that left a free hitter in the gap before the run started. In the second half, we made some adjustments and the run game got going. We hit a counter that went for like 40. Other than that, we were kind of struggling.
“It was really just getting everybody on the same page. They bamboozled us for the first quarter. We made the adjustments. It comes down to us, bro. This game, it came down to turnovers in the red zone and one from me later in the game. Unacceptable, I got to play better ball.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.