No. Best case scenario, this team was playing for a tie.
So what? A tie is better than a loss. That could be the difference between winning the Division and not this year. That's likely the only way an East team gets into the playoffs and, regardless of what most think, the first objective is getting into the playoffs.
They hadn't moved the ball well all night. They weren't suddenly going to do it with a minute left, if that.
Fair enough, but by the same rationale, what makes you think they were going to be successful in getting a 4th and 2? And then move another 10 yards to attempt a 50 yard field goal that, if successful still doesn't win the game (assuming Houston burns timeouts)?
I'm fully confident that if they had gone for it and failed, we'd have the same loss we do now.
That may be, but all that would change is where the anger is directed.
You handed the ball to a Texans team that ultimately put up 460 yards of offense and gone up and down the field all night
Yes, they put up 460 yards (10% of which was that last drive by the way), but they had time and distance against them at that point.
while not believing in the very thing you've invested your most, best resources in. And you failed.
But those investments were not performing at the level of their investment (well, I guess you could say Dak was performing at his investment level).
Really, the bottom line is there is no right answer. Because they lost, what they did was wrong. I guarantee there would be those ranting that they should've punted had they gone for it and still lost. Obviously not you, but there are no shortage of second-guessers.
