Houston Texans: Top 30 moments in team history

Dec 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum (7) scrambles with the ball during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

19. 2014 season….4 rotating QBs…O’Brien’s first season, 9-7 and 1/2 a game away from the playoffs after a 2-14 dumpster fire.

After a 2-14 season, which could only be called a dumpster fire, Houston saw something happen that most teams would only see in their nightmares. The Texans saw not one or two…but three quarterbacks suffer injuries during their 2014 season which led to four different starters on the year.

Journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick, in all his bearded glory, started the season at quarterback and put up some solid numbers. He completed 63.1 percent of his throws for 2,483 yards. He tossed 17 picks to just eight interceptions and had a career high 95.3 rating. The season for Fitz ended with a broken leg, and he was gone by 2015.

The next man up was Ryan Mallett, who had been brought in via trade earlier in the year from New England. Mallett had ties to head coach Bill O’Brien as they were in New England together for Mallett’s rookie year.

Mallett threw for 400 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his two starts, while completing just 54 percent of his passes. A pectoral tear ended his season just two games in, and he too is gone now after having a shot to be the guy again in 2015.

Rookie Tom Savage got a chance to start too as the team had to turn to the fourth round pick out of Pitt. In just two games Savage was 10 of 19 passing for 127 yards and an interception. He didn’t wow, and has spent the whole 2015 season on the injured reserve.

Case Keenum was the last guy to get a crack at things and the often signed and then released player from the University of Houston had a rating of 72.2 during his brief stint in 2014. Keenum completed 58 percent of his passes for  435 yards and also had a pair of scores and picks as well.

All in all, the team had to switch out the most important position more than any team could imagine. The result was a surprising 9-7 season in which the team just missed the playoffs. What a change from the 2-14 debacle the year before.

Next: Moment in history, number 18