Chris Tabor comments on Texans’ mind games in Week 8

Before Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro got himself acquainted with redemption this past Sunday, he was met with some horseplay. But it didn’t matter.

In the waning seconds of Sunday’s matchup, the Houston Texans attempted to play some mind games on Piñeiro—deliberately jumping offsides multiple times to throw off his potential game-winning field goal. Well, it didn’t work—as “Steady Eddy” connected on the walk-off try, time and time again, to give the Panthers a 15-13 victory.

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor was asked about the approach prior to this afternoon’s practice. He stated that he agreed with head coach Frank Reich, who said what Houston did doesn’t belong in the game.

“I get it. I understand it. But I thought our guys did a good job of just staying in the process,” he said. “I think when you look back at it, you took a game-winning field goal—and I’ll be honest with you, it was windier than people thought—and obviously, we’re moving the ball up and just increasing our chances of making it. I think that’s a decision you have to make on the other side. Do you wanna do that continuously and shrink your chances of him missing it?”

Spoiler: The chances were shrunk. The Texans ultimately turned what would’ve been a 38-yard attempt into a much easier 23-yard look for Piñeiro, who Tabor had more praise for.

“I was really proud of Eddy,” he later added. “Because, obviously, he missed the extra point. It was the same way that he missed it, that end zone right there. And I was anticipating what we call a hand key where they’re goin’ off the hand instead of the ball and just tryin’ to get a jump and when I kept seein’ ’em go offsides, I just kinda felt more, obviously . . . he’s getting three chances.

“When teams do that, kickers usually don’t miss two times in a row. And the more times they keep seein’ looks and keep hittin’ the ball, they start groovin’. So I felt good about it.”

Apparently, so did Eddy.