Houston Texans: Brian Hoyer starting to find his groove
Don’t look now, but starting quarterback Brian Hoyer might actually look good.
I know, I know, you’ve had your doubts. But you can’t sit there and tell me that Ryan Mallett has had a better showing. While Mallett may have needed to come in Week 1 when Hoyer fell flat, he looked sloppy in every game this season.
But Hoyer is just starting to come out of his shell. In the past two games, Hoyer has averaged over 300 yards per game, as well as throwing 5 TD passes to only one interception. He’s even managed to complete 71.6% of his passes.
So what can we expect from the veteran QB? Are things going to continue to get better? Will Hoyer regress? Can Brian Hoyer become the franchise quarterback that Houston has been waiting for?
Well for one, let’s look at who the Texans have played over the past two weeks. Both division rivals, the Colts and Jaguars are not especially known for their ability to stop the pass, ranking 29th and 22nd, respectively. But Hoyer still performed admirably against these teams, showing poise and confidence.
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When it comes to comparing Hoyer and Mallett, the biggest difference is their ability to throw with touch. Yes, Mallett has a rocket of an arm, but his receivers have struggled all year to catch his passes. Mallet was also wildly inaccurate, constantly overthrowing and under throwing receivers.
On the other hand, Hoyer has looked much better in the pocket, adding touch to his throws and giving his receivers the chance to make great catches, like several of the ones DeAndre Hopkins made this past Sunday. Against the Jaguars, Hoyer also looked confident and composed, leading the Texans to a strong performance on the road.
In fact, the only real mistake Hoyer has had was his game-sealing interception at the end of the Colts game. While this was a completely foolish mistake, Hoyer should be able to learn from this, and hopefully will not be forced into that situation again.
In order for the Texans game plan to work, Hoyer will have to continue to be a game manager. He shouldn’t be expected to carry the team on his shoulders, but instead not force passes and keep from turning the ball over. Once the Texans establish a lead, Hoyer can direct the offense into clock-killing mode with a strong run game.
With just two wins on the season, it’s not time to call Hoyer the savior of the franchise. But he’s going into this week’s game with a lot of solid confidence and a team that supports him. He’s starting to get into a groove, and I’m excited what he can do with the starting job from this point on.