Lions Coach, Jim Schwartz, Hands Texans a Thanksgiving Treat

 By: Colin Cook

Jim Schwartz gives the Texans something to be thankful for.

Jim Schwartz hands the Texans a feast of a play.

Houston chows on Lions' Head Coach turkey of a miscue.

Look, there are sooo many Thanksgiving metaphors you can use to describe how massive of a miscue Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz was baited into. And for the second week in a row, the referees aren't to blame, but the NFL rule book is.

Here's what happened: Texans running back, Justin Forsett, ran eight yards and was down...but he wasn't down. At least, that's what the referees believed, because they never blew the whistle. Forsett ended up passing a Lions defense who had thought the play was over, running 81 yards for a Houston touchdown, keeping to heart what all football players have been told for years: "play to the whistle"...which was never blown.

Of course, every scoring play is reviewed and this was reversed, correct?

Well, no. The NFL rulebook states that, yes, all scoring plays ARE reviewed, but in the case of a penalty that delays the course of the game, the automatic review is negated. It just so happens that, because Jim Schwartz threw his challenge flag in a rage when Forsett ran down the field, he unintentionally caused an 'unsportsmanlike conduct' penalty, negating any attempt to review the clearly down Forsett. This very same thing happened against the Falcons last week in their 'nose above water' win against the Cardinals.

But this wasn't turning over, well, a turnover. This was a clearly blatant, game-changing play in prime time. People will notice this flaw in the playbook, especially considering that, by game's end, the Texans won by three points- their first lead of the game.

Expect a rule change during the offseason...