HOUSTON, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
With season in the balance, Texans decide to sit their US$72-million man
Insight, hindsight and foresight as we segue from Week 15 to Week 16 in the NFL:
Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien made it official Monday — Tom Savage is in, Brock Osweiler’s out. For this week, anyway.
O’Brien is benching the team’s US$72-million quarterback, Osweiler, for this week’s game. The little-known Savage will start Saturday’s important home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Texans are tied atop the AFC South division with Tennessee at 8-6, just ahead of 7-7 Indianapolis. Division winners are assured one home playoff game. Two of the above three teams that don’t win the AFC South will be left hoping other games fall their way so they can squeeze into the post-season with a wildcard berth.
Houston lured the free-agent Osweiler from Denver last March for a whopping US$72 million over four years, US$36 million of it guaranteed. By the kindest possible assessment, Osweiler has been a Texas-sized bust. The 26-year-old had barely played during his first three years as a pro, backing up Peyton Manning in Denver. In seven starts late last season, while Manning recuperated from various injuries, Osweiler at times looked pretty good, at others not so much.
This season in Houston, Osweiler has been the Texans’ big liability. They have a strong defence and can run the ball. But Osweiler hasn’t thrown for as many as 250 yards in any game since October, and on the season has completed 59.6 per cent of his passes and thrown more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (14) — dismal numbers.
O’Brien finally yanked Osweiler early in Sunday’s game against lowly Jacksonville, after numerous wayward throws, including two interceptions.
In his place, Savage performed a whole lot better, 23 of 36 for 260 yards and no interceptions, and rallied the Texans from a 13-0 deficit to a 21-20 victory.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of knowledge of the offence,” O’Brien said. “It’s just who gives us the best chance to play well and beat Cincinnati. I think it’s Tom this week.”
But just this week? O’Brien would not commit to Savage beyond Christmas Eve.
How did Osweiler take his benching?
“Like a professional,” O’Brien said. “He’s a professional football player. Certainly, as a competitor, he didn’t say much. I’m sure he didn’t agree with the decision. But he’s a pro.
“And he needs to be ready to play, because just like Tom … he’s one play away.” Trends, not coincidences: Indianapolis lost five of the first eight games Andrew Luck started this year. Since then, the Colts have won five of seven when Luck has been healthy. The fifth-year QB seems to be getting hotter by the week. So far this month, he has thrown eight touchdowns against two interceptions.
Then there’s San Diego QB Phil Rivers. He still takes too many chances with his throws, but usually only in desperation, and usually late in games when the Chargers usually trail on the scoreboard, goading his gambler instincts. Rivers leads all NFL passers with 18 interceptions this season, and he’s not far from his career high of 20 in one year.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s defence ranks dead last in the league in the following categories: Total yards allowed per game, total yards per play, rushing yards per game, rushing yards per play, passing yards per play, first downs per game and points per game. Yeesh.
The Niners’ run defence might be the worst in NFL history relative to league average in a given season. A month ago, when the Niners were allowing 180 rushing yards per game, the stats website eldo.co rated this year’s Niners as the NFL’s worst since 1933.
After Sunday’s 41-13 loss to Atlanta, the Niners are allowing 176 rushing yards per game, still worst in the league. And San Fran’s final two opponents, Los Angeles and Seattle, love to run the ball.
Hero: Dak Prescott, quarterback, Cowboys. After two clunker performances in a row, pressure was on the rookie to come through for Dallas in Sunday night’s primetime tilt against Tampa Bay, and thereby squelch the growing calls for Tony Romo to get his old job back. Prescott did precisely that, completing 32 of 36 in a 26-20 victory. Prescott’s singlegame 88.9 per cent completion percentage is the second-best in NFL history with a minimum of 30 throws.
Zero: Sheldon Richardson, defensive end, Jets. It’s bad enough for the fourth-year player that his effort and commitment have been questioned. But after New York got throttled at home Saturday against the Dolphins, Richardson posted a vulgar video to Snapchat. Taken a couple of hours before game time, Richardson chose the most derogatory of words to advise women not to have certain relations with a teammate.
Stock up: Matt Barkley, quarterback, Bears. Don’t snicker. Chicago has been competitive with the fourth-year discard. In his four starts, the Bears have lost narrowly to Tennessee, Detroit and Green Bay and trounced San Francisco. Barkley in those games has thrown for more than 300 yards twice (362 in Sunday’s near-comeback against the Pack), and his completion percentage has risen in each game, from 51.9 versus Tennessee to 69.8 against Green Bay.
Stock down: Robert Griffin III, QB, Browns. I saw him in his first pre-season game as a rookie, in Buffalo in 2012. Early on he made a fourth-read pass completion and bragged about it afterward. Fast-forward to Sunday in the same stadium and wow, what a regression. RG3 looked antsy, confused, rushed, over his head and still uncertain on his surgically rebuilt knee. Totally different player. So much less effective.