Properly handling fumbles is a key coaching detail

Monday night's game essentially ended after Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Guyton tried to do his best Tony Dorsett impression. And failed.

Guyton had no business attempting to run with the ball after recovering a tumble. It was obvious the moment he got the thing in his hands.

He was promptly blown up by Texans safety Jalen Pitre, who knocked it loose and allowed Texans defensive end Derek Barnett to complete the sack, forced fumble, fumble return for touchdown trifecta.

Discussing the game-deciding moment on Tuesday's PFT Live, Devin McCourty talked about former Patriots coach Bill Belichick's method when it comes to coaching players to properly approach fumbles. It's worth your time to listen to what Devin had to say.

And it's a critical aspect of offense, defense, and special teams. There's a loose ball. What should the player do?

McCourty said Belichick would do specific drills aimed at giving players a chance to try to recover fumbles, with coaching points on what to do differently.

As to Guyton, he either ignored coaching to not try to run with a loose ball — or he didn't get it.

After the game, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of the play, "We’re not teaching linemen to carry the ball." That's good. The better statement would be this: "We regularly coach linemen to get on the ball and not even try to pick it up and run with it. We practice that. We talk about it. We show the players examples of other plays from other games that had the same outcome as this one."

It's just one of the many details that must be recognized and mastered to give a football team the best chance to get a win.

Not to deserve a win. To earn a win. Because a football team whose linemen don't know what to do when the football is bouncing around at their feet isn't a football that is prepared to go out and earn a win.