Costly drop mars Fuller’s season
Sprinting past Patriots Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler, Texans rookie wide receiver Will Fuller broke into the clear as he tried to haul in a rare perfect spiral delivered by quarterback Brock Osweiler.
The first-round draft pick from Notre Dame was unable to secure the football, though. It ricocheted off his left forearm, and Fuller was unable to trap the ball against his midsection, dropping a potential long touchdown pass.
“I’ve got to make that play,” Fuller said after the Texans’ 34-16 AFC divisional-round playoff loss at Gillette Stadium. “It hit me in my hands. Brock threw a perfect pass. I’ve got to make that play. Very tough. My team needed a play, and I should’ve made that one. I just wasn’t able to make the play.”
Fuller caught three passes for 16 yards against the Patriots despite being targeted six times.
It was a costly drop by Fuller, who finished his rookie season with 47 catches for 635 yards and two touchdowns during an inconsistent campaign in which the speedy Philadelphia native struggled to make catches.
“Yeah, the deep pass, that was a nice throw,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “Right in the bread basket. Look, Will is going to get better. We have not had a rookie receiver play as much as he played for us. I think he was probably in the top 10 of rookie receivers, as far as catches go
“There are a lot of things Will has to work on to get better, and he knows what he needs to work on. He’s a very smart player. I’m sure he feels as bad about that play as anybody, but that wasn’t the difference in the game. That’s just one play of many.”
Lineman Heath to undergo MRI
Texans rookie defensive lineman Joel Heath will undergo an MRI exam Monday to determine the extent of a knee injury suffered Saturday during an AFC divisional-round loss to the Patriots.
The initial diagnosis is Heath, 23, didn’t suffer a major injury and won’t require surgery, according to a person updated on Heath’s condition but not authorized to speak publicly. The MRI exam is expected to confirm that status heading into the offseason.
A 6-5, 300-pound undrafted free agent from Michigan State, Heath impressed the coaching staff with his long arms and athleticism and made the roster. He started six
of 12 games played and had eight tackles and two sacks.
Guard Jeff Allen left the game with an ankle
injury and didn’t return. He was replaced at right guard by Oday Aboushi. The injury isn’t considered serious.
Griffin looks ahead after loss
Before heading back to Houston following Saturday’s loss to the Patriots, tight end Ryan Griffin huddled with a large crowd of family and friends.
The Londonderry, N.H., native obtained roughly 27 tickets for the game at Gillette Stadium.
“Obviously I wish the outcome was different, but after we’re done here I’m going to go out and see my friends and family,” Griffin, 27, said. “That’s the most important thing to me. They supported me through this journey.
“The entire journey to get here was unbelievable, and I couldn’t have done it without them. I’m just blessed to have the parents that God gave me.”
In the playoff game, Griffin was targeted three times and had no receptions. During the season, the 6-6, 265-pound former sixth-round draft pick from Connecticut caught a career-high 50 passes for 442 yards and two touchdowns.
Now, Griffin is a pending unrestricted free agent who would like to remain with the Texans.
“Who knows, I don’t have any idea,” Griffin said. “I just tried to put the best film I could on the field, so we will see what happens.”