Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins made what would have been the grab of the game -- a one-handed catch which he secured between his legs -- but it was called back on an offensive pass interference penalty.
This play didn't count ... BUT HOW DID DEANDRE HOPKINS CATCH THAT??
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 26, 2018
📺: NFL Network #MIAvsHOUpic.twitter.com/vHsX7tiH24
Hopkins disagreed with the call.
“I replayed it a whole bunch of times to see if I pushed off and I'm an honest judge. It was hand-battling,” Hopkins said. “I think somebody owes me an apology. I don't know who it is, but somebody owes me an apology.”
Even though the play didn't count, it was the talk of the locker room after the game.
“One of the best catches I’ve ever seen," said Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. "Catching it one hand coming through his legs. I didn’t think it was offensive pass interference. The guy was holding him. He just stuck his hand out. I don’t know. It was a bad call on my part. But at the end of the day, he did a heck of a job of pulling it in.”
Added coach Bill O'Brien: "Yeah, it’s unbelievable. That’s two catches that he’s made in my five years here that have been incredible catches that have not counted. Isn’t that unbelievable? The one in my first year here, at New York that didn’t count, which was incredible, and then that one. He’s such a competitive guy; he loves game day, and he does a great job every game."
Hopkins more than made up for the penalty later with a 49-yard touchdown reception from Deshaun Watson in the fourth quarter.
This one counts.@deshaunwatson's fourth TD of the game goes to @DeAndreHopkins!#MIAvsHOU pic.twitter.com/rj98dIPcSh
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) October 26, 2018
Hopkins, who finished with six catches for 82 yards, added another TD catch later in the fourth quarter.