The Houston Texans are going back to their big-money man in the biggest game of their season.
Brock Osweiler will start at quarterback Saturday against the Oakland Raiders in an AFC wild-card playoff game, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien announced Tuesday.
Houston handed Osweiler a massive four-year, $72 million contract with $37 million guaranteed in the offseason and saw little return on investment in the first season. They did so despite the fact Osweiler had just seven starts to his name through four seasons after primarily serving as Peyton Manning’s backup in Denver.
Osweiler appeared in 15 games for the Texans this season, posting a woeful 72.2 passer rating before ultimately being benched in favor of Tom Savage in Week 15. Savage was injured in Week 17, prompting Osweiler’s return, and he actually played pretty well, completing 21 of 40 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown.
For what it’s worth, Osweiler has decent career numbers against Oakland dating to his time with Denver. He has completed 67.3 percent of his throws with two touchdowns and one interception for a 86.5 passer rating — about 9 points higher than his career mark.
O’Brien also indicated that Savage — who still is in the NFL’s concussion protocol — will serve as the backup, even if he’s cleared before Saturday afternoon. If he’s not cleared, Brandon Weeden will serve as Osweiler’s backup.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
