Fairbairn missed a 45-yard field goal wide right during a 38-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He's 3 for 5 overall on field goals, but hadn't missed between 40 and 49 yards until this latest one.
Fairbairn missed two extra points and a 56-yard field goal in a narrow loss to the New England Patriots earlier this season, but connected on a 53-yard field goal against the Arizona Cardinals and hit a 31-yard kick against the Indianapolis Colts prior to this miss against the Rams.
Signed to a four-year, $17.65 million contract, the former Lou Groza Award winner from UCLA missed the first three games of the season on injured reserve with a muscle pull.
"It's not a concern, but his job is to kick those and make those," Texans coach David Culley said Monday at NRG Stadium. "He's making them in practice. He hasn't had a whole bunch of situations to kick PATs and field goals. I wish we had more, but, when he does get the opportunities, he's got to make those. He didn't do that."
Aaron Wilson has covered the NFL for 20 seasons, including the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. He has previously written for The Houston Chronicle and The Baltimore Sun. He’s on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL and Instagram: @aaronwilson7128
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