HOUSTON -- Sam Martin said the Lions saw a look. Houston didn’t have its hands team out. So he was going to attempt an onside kick.
The Lions had just kicked a field goal to cut the Texans’ lead to 17-10 -- yet another one-possession game with Detroit trying to come-from-behind late to win for the fourth straight week. And even though the Lions defense had started to give up rushing yards in chunks, it had been playing one of its best games in weeks.
With all three timeouts and 2:53 left in the game, Detroit coach Jim Caldwell chose to try the onside kick instead of kicking it away, all but ensuring that a first down or long gain would put the Texans in field-goal range or end the game.