The last matchup of the 2022 season between the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts had a lot riding it on for the futures of all three teams.
With a Colts loss, the Chicago Bears — who already have the brilliant Justin Fields — would secure the No. 1 overall pick, Houston would settle in at No. 2, and Indianapolis would guarantee a position in the top five. And for a while, thanks to Sam Ehlinger, it looked like this reality would come to pass.
But with just 50 seconds remaining, the Texans trailed the Colts 31-24 and faced a seemingly impossible 4th and 20. The Bears’ dream of sitting atop the NFL Draft pecking order looked washed away. That is until Davis Mills launched a desperate Hail Mary into the end zone … that Jordan Akins came down with.
Uh … WHAT??
DAVIS MILLS HAS HIS PRAYERS ANSWERED ON 4TH-AND-20 🤯
Mills connects with Jordan Akins for a 28-yard TD after Rodney Thomas II lets a potential interception go right through his hands.
🎥 @NFLpic.twitter.com/JqCI1nCtUq
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) January 8, 2023
Of course, the Texans still had to either tie the game with an extra point or see Lovie Smith elect for the win instead. Smith and Co. decided to leave it all on the field with a dynamite two-point conversion:
THE TWO-POINT CONVERSION IS GOOD!!!!! TEXANS TAKE THE LEAD 😳
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/2HKlvAL7xO
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 8, 2023
My goodness. What a barn-burning thriller of a finale for a matchup between two teams with a combined seven wins. And with the Bears now officially holding the No. 1 overall pick with Justin Fields already in tow, what a potentially very significant outcome for part of the NFL’s future.
NFL fans couldn't believe the Texans actually scored on 4th and 20 to help give the Bears the No. 1 overall pick
Davis Mills TO JORDAN AKINS FOR 29 yards ON A HAIL MARY TD.
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) January 8, 2023
Oh my god, the Texans scored a touchdown on 4th and 20!
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) January 8, 2023
what if i told you the greatest moment for the chicago bears in the last 10 years was a houston texans TD on a 4th and 20 in week 18
— Adam the dont stare directly at the sun worm (@trislerstudz) January 8, 2023
Houston Texans: it was a rough season but at least with the #1 pick we can rebuild and regroup
Lovie Smith on 4th and 20: pic.twitter.com/kKTZxCVVai
— Soundwave (@LocalSoundwave) January 8, 2023
davis mills throwing a touchdown on 4th & 20 and then converting the two point conversion to potentially save himself from getting replaced by the #1 pick that the texans no longer have because of it 😂
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) January 8, 2023
WOW TEXANS 4TH AND 20 TOUCHDOWN
— Tankathon.com (@tankathon) January 8, 2023
The #Texans really just scored on this 4th and 20 play and then went for 2 to win the game. And got it.
Congrats on the #1 pick #DaBears pic.twitter.com/N5t6Xe5UfB
— Drew Davenport (@DrewDavenportFF) January 8, 2023
HOLY CRAP TD #TEXANS ON 4TH AND 20!!!!!
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) January 8, 2023
No way did Mills just convert on 4th and 20. WOW. Texans TD. WOW
— Dionne Miller (@dmillerabc7) January 8, 2023
This is honestly one of the dumber moments I’ve seen in all of sports. Lose a franchise-changing QB to score a meaningless TD on 4th and 20. I’d be livid as a Texans fan.
— Seth Kaplan (@Seth_Kaplan) January 8, 2023
