Coach tries to keep team looking ahead and not dwelling.
Although a myriad of the problems Texans quarterback Tom Savage encountered Sunday during a loss to the Rams were self-inflicted, coach Bill O’Brien acknowledged there were a few relatively hopeless situations.
That’s among the reasons that Savage will remain in the starting lineup at home against Arizona on the heels of a four-turnover meltdown in Los Angeles.
Savage did throw off his back foot occasionally and forced passes into heavy traffic as he was intercepted twice and lost two fumbles. A fifth turnover, an interception returned for a touchdown, was nullified by a penalty. Savage was sacked three times and hit eight times.
“A couple of times, he only had a second to get the ball off,” O’Brien said Monday. “So yeah, by physical force, he was throwing off his back foot. There were a couple times where he didn’t even have a chance to get the ball out.”
Savage completed 18 of 37 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown. Through three starts, Savage has passed for 502 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s fumbled six times, losing five.
“Football’s about 11 guys trying to do the right thing on every play,” O’Brien said. “How many times do you think that happens in a game? Very rarely, but that’s what you’re striving to get done.
“If one or two guys break down, including the quarterback, the play’s not going to be successful, and that happened obviously a lot.”
Miller enjoys time at QB
The most experienced quarterback on the Texans’ roster besides the actual quarterbacks who play the position for a living is wide receiver Braxton Miller.
On Sunday, Miller revived his old role as a quarterback at Ohio State as he was utilized in two Wildcat-style plays. Miller handed off once and rushed one time for a single yard.
“It feels good,” Miller said. “It was going back to the old days.”
A former Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Miller said he’d be able to throw if called upon to do so.
“I wouldn’t doubt myself,” Miller said. “I just play receiver. I go out there and do my job and I get ready.”
Texans coach Bill O’Brien didn’t sound thrilled with the results, though, or likely to expand Miller’s role as a quarterback.
“Just trying to mix it up a little bit,” O’Brien said. “I just felt like it didn’t really help the rhythm of the offense. It wasn’t Braxton’s fault. It didn’t have the effect that I thought it was going to have.”
Receiver Fuller’s status unclear
Texans starting receiver Will Fuller absorbed a big hit Sunday from Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner, injuring his ribs and leaving the game.
Although Fuller expressed optimism that he’ll be all right, coach Bill O’Brien was noncommittal on Fuller’s status for Sunday’s game against Arizona.
Meanwhile, right guard Jeff Allen’s hand injury isn’t regarded as serious. Allen was replaced by Greg Mancz on Sunday.
Gilchrist has fine reduced
Initially fined $24,309 by the league office for his hit on Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Texans safety Marcus Gilchrist had a successful appeal.
The fine has been reduced to $8,000.
Gilchrist was penalized for unnecessary roughness for his tackle on Kelce that caused a concussion.