Lovie Smith Says Dameon Pierce’s Low Snap Count Was a Mistake

The rookie tailback won the starting job but only got 11 carries in his first NFL game.

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Before the season started, Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce shined during training camp and presumably would see a heavy workload after winning the starting job. Ultimately, he only got 11 carries in his first NFL game Sunday and coach Lovie Smith expressed regret over not getting him enough touches. 

“Some of the other things we did in the game, looking on the offensive side of the football, I understand how many plays Dameon Pierce played,” Smith said. “The plan of course was for him to get more. You get into the game and situations make you go a little bit different direction. You learn from those mistakes like that, mistakes of those situations that you look at the day after.”

Pierce finished the game with just 33 yards on the ground while veteran running back Rex Burkhead got 14 carries for 40 yards. The game against the Colts ended in a 20–20 draw and on Monday, Smith was asked if Pierce needed to show more blocking or catching capabilities in order to get more touches. 

“Sometimes though when you look back, you can’t defend the amount of reps our starting tailback got in some of those situations,” Smith said. “I wish he had gotten more and we’re going to work to get him more of those opportunities, but a young back, it’s some of those things. I wouldn’t say that just being a primary ball carrier is holding him back. Those are some things that we’re going to work on to make sure that that situation doesn’t happen again.”

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