Texans reiterate Tom Savage as starting quarterback
The Houston Texans are trying to win the AFC South for a third consecutive season, and it appears the team will turn to Tom Savage to spearhead that charge.
On Tuesday, head coach Bill O’Brien talked to the media and once again spoke about Savage having a stranglehold on the starting quarterback job, something many believed might go to Deshaun Watson after a strong spring showing. Per NFL.com:
“Sure. I mean, I envision that, I can see that, but that’s not the approach that we’re taking. Tom’s the starter. Tom’s playing well this camp. Tom has really had a good camp. He’s only thrown three incompletions in two games,” O’Brien said. “He’s really got good command of our offense, and like I’ve said, Deshaun is a very, very good, young player who has a great future in this league.
“I mean, let’s put the cards on the table. That’s what it is. But Tom has been here for four years. The way that we want to play, the style that we need to play relative to getting guys lined up, relative to cadence, relative to protection points and route reads and putting guys in the right spot, Tom’s ahead of Deshaun on that.”
Watson was incredibly successful with the University of Clemson, taking the Tigers to consecutive National Championship Game appearances against the Alabama Crimson Tide. In January, Watson led a stirring combeack in the final seconds over Alabama to win the title, vaulting him to the 12th-overall selection in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Entering his fourth year in the league, Savage is yet to throw a touchdown in his career. Last season, the former University of Pittsburgh star started two games and completed 63 percent of his passes for 461 yard while being sacked five times. Savage was injured in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans and was then benched for Brock Osweiler as Houston beat the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Wild Card round.
Eventually, Watson is going to be the starter. It could very well be by Week 6, considering Houston has a very tough early-season schedule. After opening at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans take on the Cincinnati Bengals (on Thursday night) and the New England Patriots on the road. Afterwards, they come home to play the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs. If Savage doesn’t play well, there is a real chance Houston is 1-4.
After that stretch, the Texans have a matchup with the Cleveland Browns and then a bye week. If Watson is going to come into the fold in 2017, that would be the right time to ease him into the lineup.
If not, it is Savage’s show in Houston this year, for better or worse.
