The Houston Texans entered AT&T Stadium Sunday afternoon with a depleted wide receiver corps, and the lack of talent at the position group was a reason why the team was a 17.5-point underdog against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Texans nearly pulled off an unlikely upset before losing 27-23 in the final seconds. But the surprising performance from Houston's receiving group helped the Texans compete against their in-state rivals.
"Some of the receivers that stepped up, Chris Moore was outstanding," coach Lovie Smith said. "Amari Rodgers also getting into the mix. I like what those guys were able to do. We did some good things. We would like to have finished though."
Moore finished with a game-high 124 yards while catching 10 out of his 11 targets. Rodgers gave the Texans an additional boost with 57 yards and four catches.
The highlight of Rodgers' day came with 2 minutes and 23 seconds left in the second quarter when he recorded his first career regular-season touchdown from a 28-yard pass attempt from quarterback Jeff Driskel.
Since the Texans claimed Rodgers off waivers nearly a month ago, Smith has described his addition as a "second chance."
"Since he came into the building, he’s been a pro about everything," Smith said. "He’s picked everything up quickly. He’s smart. He’s bright. He’s got ability. For the first couple of weeks, he was inactive. Now his number was called, and I thought he stepped up to the plate and looked comfortable in the role that we had him in [Sunday]."
Rodgers was a third-round pick (no. 85) of the Green Bay Packers in 2021, and the Clemson product fell short of expectations.
He appeared in 26 games and developed a reputation for lack of ball security. As a kick returner, Rodgers had five fumbles on the season. He finished his career in Green Bay with 95 yards on eight catches and seven fumbles.
In hopes to adding to Moore and Rogers production, Smith is hopeful to see the return of Nico Collins (foot) and veteran Brandin Cooks (calf) ahead of their Week 15 match against the 10-3 Kansas City Chiefs.
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