It was yet another fourth-quarter comeback for the Denver Broncos as they extended their record to 7-2 with an 18-15 escape win over the Houston Texans. And this win might not have been possible if it weren’t for the Texans’ quarterback, CJ Stroud, suffering from a concussion. Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans argues that cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine should’ve been penalized for the action.

In the post-game presser, DeMeco Ryans made it clear that he believes Abrams-Draine should’ve been flagged for unnecessary roughness.

“He hit the quarterback when he was sliding and giving himself up. If I’m incorrect on the rules, I’ve seen that happen multiple times with our guys, and we get the penalty,” he said.

You can’t really blame him for pointing that out. The NFL has penalized over 140 players this season, already racking up fines of more than $2.3 million. And some of those calls have been for borderline contact, the kind that barely grazes a helmet. So when your quarterback suffers a concussion on a play that looks like it should draw a flag, you’re going to question it.

You could argue that’s where the Broncos won the game. Texans were up 15-7 in the fourth quarter, and backup Davis Mills failed to get past the Broncos’ defense, who were able to shut him out for the entirety of the fourth quarter. It would be safe to assume that the Texans would’ve come out with a win if it weren’t for Stroud’s concussion.

The quarterback was hit by Kris Abrams-Draine, who slammed his head into the turf. The officials did throw a flag for unnecessary roughness initially, but then overturned their decision. They argued that Stroud began his slide too late and that Abrams-Draine’s contact wasn’t direct to the head. It’s one of those judgment calls that’s impossible to separate from the outcome.

And the stakes don’t get smaller from here. If Stroud doesn’t clear concussion protocol in time for next week’s matchup with Jacksonville, the Texans’ playoff chances take a real hit. The Jaguars are sitting second in the AFC South, and a loss there could pretty much end whatever hopes there are for January.

Texans shot themselves in the foot vs the Broncos

Whether CJ Stroud clears concussion protocol in time for next week’s game against Jacksonville, it might not make a difference if the Texans keep tripping over themselves the way they did Sunday night. Because no matter who’s under center, Stroud or Mills, you can’t beat a good team when you keep sabotaging your own drives.

Yes, maybe Houston wins if Stroud finishes the game. That’s a fair argument. But this loss isn’t on Mills. He played steadily and didn’t panic for whatever time he was on the field. Even with Stroud in the first half, Houston couldn’t finish. Two goal-to-go situations, zero touchdowns. They went 0-for-3 in the red zone. You can’t do that in a game this tight and expect to survive.

It started early. First drive, they line up for a 51-yard field goal and end up missing it. Second drive, first-and-goal. Three straight stuffed runs, a false start on fourth down, and they settle for a chip shot. Those are four points lost before the game even gets rolling.

Then, midway through the second quarter, they get back inside the 5-yard line. Denver’s defense ended up slamming the door yet again. Two plays from the 2-yard line, no points. Only if they had scored seven points on either of those drives, they might’ve walked away with a win.