ARLINGTON, Texas — Backup Houston quarterback Ryan Mallett was forced into the game unexpectedly when third-stringer Tom Savage went out with an apparent shoulder injury in the fourth quarter of the preseason finale.
Instead of handing off three times and heading home after a go-ahead 5-yard run touchdown by Dallas' Ben Malena, the Texans did try to throw twice with Mallett. After a pair of incompletions, Dallas ran out the clock in a 21-14 victory Thursday night.
"You know, we had a chance to make a play at the end," said Mallett, who lost the competition for the starting job to Brian Hoyer.