Smart football play results in brutal bad beat

If you were cheering for the Houston Texans during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, you likely enjoyed the game’s dramatic finish. If you were betting on the Texans, you probably didn’t.

A storyline throughout the second half was the injury to Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. Because of that, the Texans didn’t try an extra-point after any of their second-half touchdowns. They went for two on the first three attempts, missing the first two and converting on the third. When the Texans scored the go-ahead touchdown with six seconds left, they went ahead by two. Houston, three-point favorites, had a chance to cover the spread. Instead of a miracle cover, anyone who bet on the Texans got a bad beat.

A two-point conversion wouldn’t normally be considered by a team up two points, as an extra point would mean that a field goal could only tie the game. But with Fairbairn out, it wasn’t a normal situation. But with six seconds left, a field goal was a non-issue. Tampa’s faint comeback hopes relied entirely on scoring a touchdown with a lateral play or Hail Mary. If, however, the Texans went for two and turned the ball over, it could be returned for two points, which would tie the game.

Houston technically did go for two, sending its offense onto the field. But quarterback C.J. Stroud to a knee on the play. It was a sound decision from a football perspective. Anything else was needlessly risking disaster. But if you bet on the Texans to cover the three-point spread (and Darren Rovell of The Action Network reported that 60% of the money was on Houston), you probably saw it a little differently.

If you had money on Houston, you have our sincere sympathies. If, however you had money on Tampa, congratulations. But you also might want to quit while you’re ahead.

[Darren Rovell, Photo Credit: CBS]