ARIZONA CARDINALS

Arians regrets fourth down call vs. Texans: ‘A bad call and a bad decision’

Nov 19, 2017, 3:53 PM | Updated: Nov 20, 2017, 11:55 am

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, argues a call during the first half of an NFL foot...

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, argues a call during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Contextually, Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians was between a rock and a hard place.

It was 4th-and-1 at Arizona’s own 35-yard line, and the Cardinals still trailed the Houston Texans, 24-21.

Six minutes and 33 seconds remained in the game.

But Arians kept the offense on the field, rolling the dice that this play would either set up a game-tying or game-winning score or seal his team’s fate.

The play-call: A handoff to Adrian Peterson that was met up the middle by Houston defenders. Peterson bounced outside but was greeted by a gang of tacklers for a one-yard loss. With possession handed to the Texans, Houston handed the ball to D’Onta Foreman, who found a lane for a 34-yard touchdown burst, setting the final score in Arizona’s 31-21 loss on Sunday.

“I regret taking the fourth-down play now. It was a bad call and a bad decision,” Arians admitted to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Paul Calvisi after the game. “I trusted our guys way too much and put the game in their hands at that point. Probably shouldn’t have put it in their hands.”

So here was the context.

Arians couldn’t trust his receivers. Two plays prior on 2nd-and-6, receiver J.J. Nelson had dropped an out route toward the sideline.

Two plays later, it was either trusting his unsteady wideouts or a run game that allowed back Peterson to take 14 carries for just 26 yards, a 1.9-yard per rush average.

After making the call and living with the disappointing result, Arians again saw the poor decision on his part snowball with Foreman’s run.

“That’s the way it’s been all year. We don’t respond very well to bad things or sudden change,” the Cardinals coach said.

“I don’t know if we lost our confidence, but we definitely dropped way too many easy passes,” Arians added. “That led to the fourth-down call again. Two weeks in a row, dropped passes led to me making a fourth-down call that (I) probably shouldn’t have made.”

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) has his pass blocked by Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (90) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Former Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson, who is being inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor, runs on to the field before an NFL football game between the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) throws against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) is hits by Houston Texans defensive back Eddie Pleasant (35) after making a catch during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) throws from the end zone during the first half of an NFL football game Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Texans' Bruce Ellington (12) fields a punt as Arizona Cardinals' Brittan Golden (10) and Budda Baker (36) contain him during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Texans running back D'Onta Foreman (27) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Arizona Cardinals nose tackle Xavier Williams (94) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) breaks up a pass intended for Houston Texans wide receiver Bruce Ellington (12) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans running back D'Onta Foreman (27) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Arizona Cardinals nose tackle Xavier Williams (94) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller (26) runs around Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Deone Bucannon (20) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, argues a call during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) celebrates a touchdown catch by teammate Lamar Miller (26) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans running back D'Onta Foreman (27) fumbles the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. The Texans recovered the ball. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) pulls in a catch for a touchdown over Houston Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson (30) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) hands off to running back Adrian Peterson (23) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals cornerback Rudy Ford (30) celebrates a fumble recover during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson (23) takes a handoff from Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) fumbles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. Arizona Cardinals cornerback Rudy Ford (30) recovered the ball. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson, center, is wrapped up by Houston Texans defenders Corey Moore (43) and Jadeveon Clowney (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) reaches for the ball to make a touchdown catch over Houston Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson (30) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) celebrates a touchdown catch by teammate Lamar Miller (26) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones (86) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (36) pressures Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) as he throws during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert (7) scrambles against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) smiles on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (36) strips Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) of the ball during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

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