The Houston Texans lost by winning in their season finale Sunday, and owner Cal McNair looked like he was not sure how to feel about it.
The Texans entered Sunday knowing that a loss to the Indianapolis Colts would guarantee them the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. A Texans win combined with a Chicago Bears loss, however, would drop Houston to No. 2 and give the Bears the top pick instead.
For much of the afternoon, the Texans led the Colts, but they fell behind late and looked to be back in line for the first pick. However, with less than a minute to go, Texans receiver Jordan Akins caught Davis Mills’ desperation 4th-and-20 heave in the end zone for a touchdown. The Texans then went for two and the win and converted, with Akins once again catching a pass from Mills to put the Texans ahead 32-31. That turned out to be the final score, and it relegated the Texans to the No. 2 pick.
McNair was on the field after the game and he looked genuinely unsure how to feel.
I can’t tell. Is this the face of an owner that had only won two games this season and wins the final game of the regular season in incredible fashion
OR
An owner that just lost the #1 overall pick by winning said game? pic.twitter.com/gp13KAw5qE
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 8, 2023
The win arguably gets more awkward considering coach Lovie Smith’s job is in major doubt, so he may have cost the Texans the top pick in his final game as coach.
The Bears certainly did their part to land the top pick, but one can argue it might not even matter that much from Houston’s perspective. If they want a quarterback, they will have options at No. 2, especially since the Bears will almost certainly not go that route unless they trade out of the top spot. Still, the circumstances made for a pretty funny visual.
