Hoyer Named Starting QB [Benched Week 2 - Mallett to Start]

[WMH]

Guess Hoyer is starting us off. We'll see how long it lasts. My guess is Week 6.

Tania Ganguli ‏@taniaganguli 2m2 minutes ago
The #Texans have chosen Brian Hoyer as the team's starter, as @RapSheet first reported. Hoyer had the lead going into training camp.

[Arky]

I gotta think that was the plan all along from the day he was signed. It's Fitzy vers. 2.0.

Oh well, I'll be rooting for him to succeed but my expectations aren't very high...

[barrett]

I don't disagree with it but it is disappointing that Mallet could not beat him out. Mallett has been here over a year now and can't beat out a journeyman like Hoyer. This means we have no real QB on our roster. We can keep fighting to scratch out 9 wins while wasting JJ Watt's prime.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by barrett

I don't disagree with it but it is disappointing that Mallet could not beat him out. Mallett has been here over a year now and can't beat out a journeyman like Hoyer. This means we have no real QB on our roster. We can keep fighting to scratch out 9 wins while wasting JJ Watt's prime.

Yep. I see our biggest issue is we won't likely suck bad enough again to get in the #1-5 spot, so we'll have to pay a Kings ransom in order to get up there, or we'll keep playing the QB carousel until we finally suck bad enough to get up there, then hope there is a QB coming out that is worthy.

Damn, Indy got lucky......

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by WMH

Damn, Indy got lucky......

Word. At least when they got Manning, they had wandered through the desert for awhile. This time, it was just like reloading.

[popanot]

If I'm the GM/HC and I have 2 or 3 scrub QB's on my roster that I know are not the long-term answer, which it appears the Texans have right now, I'm on the phone with Philly or Tampa trying to get Barkley or Glennon as cheaply as possible. Sure, I might find they're not be the answer either, but I'm not giving up trying to find lightning in a bottle. If I can get one of them with a lower round or conditional pick (which I guarantee you can get Barkley for), I'm pulling the trigger.

[painekiller]

Am i the only one that likes what he is seeing in Savage? Not to start now, but maybe in the future?

[chuck]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Am i the only one that likes what he is seeing in Savage? Not to start now, but maybe in the future?

No, you are not the only one. He is still raw and he still seems overwhelmed by the game at times (and he's facing twos and threes) but he is so much better than last year that perhaps there is real hope. And maybe that is what BOB is thinking, too.

It is indeed very disappointing that Mallett and his huge arm couldn't beat out Hoyer. But if I'm honest with myself Hoyer has looked much better than Mallett in these two fake games. And that is sad, but to me inescapably true.

And, walk on the sunny side kind of guy that I am, the few times I saw Hoyer last year he looked pretty damn good. I could never understand all the carping coming from Cleveland because I thought Hoyer was doing the job just fine. So who knows?

[barrett]

I want nothing to do with Barkley or Glennon. Both are terrible. I'd be after Mettenberger if I was after any young backup.

I like Savage, but think he has a chance to grow into Mallett/Hoyer/Fitz. Nothing makes me think he has a chance to be more.

As long as we put band-aids on QBs we will never be relevant in January. Delaying years to do it is a real head scratcher.

[Joshua]

I like O'Brien and think he is probably a pretty good coach. But right now he's failing his most important job requirement of finding a long term QB. Maybe he was a victim of circumstances and never had an opportunity to snag a decent signal caller but right now, I don't see how we can reasonably expect to get decent QB before 2017 at the earliest. This year will be another caretaker year just like last year. Maybe we'll finally use a meaningful draft pick next year, but even if we do (and the kid pans out), it'll be a year or so before you can expect him to truly compete. Pretty depressing.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

I'd be after Mettenberger if I was after any young backup.

That person doubled over in laughter over there is J.J. Watt.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

That person doubled over in laughter over there is J.J. Watt.

I'd rather JJ laugh than cry over a HOF wasted career on an also ran.

[HPF Bob]

Let's pause for a moment and remember who was in the Super Bowl last year and how they got their starting quarterbacks. Did either draft them in the first round? No. The year before, did either Super Bowl team draft their quarterback in the first round? No. The year before that, did either Super Bowl team draft their quarterback in the first round? Yes, one did but the other didn't.

We've had three chances to take a QB at 1/1. In 2002, we took him and got a guy that will never be a championship quarterback. In 2006, we passed up Vince Young and Matt Leinart (and Jay Cutler) for a guy that's no longer with the team. Last year, we passed up Bridgewater, Bortles and Manziel for someone we hope will finally showcase his once-ridiculous talent.

And what of the teams that took Cam Newton, Jamarcus Russell, Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Alex Smith....any rings?

The guys we have here now know defense wins championships and they're going all in on defense. Yeah, it sucks to have mediocre talent at QB but you can win in the NFL with that until the right QB for the system comes along. And you can get that right guy in trade, or the second round or free agency. In the meantime, we're building a lights-out defense if all the pieces come together.

I'm not giving up this season. We've got a ridiculously easy schedule and we can still be better than .500 if we just beat the teams we should and pull an upset or two. We probably won't get over on the Colts but we can be a playoff team in Year Two with the talent we have if things break right.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Let's pause for a moment and remember who was in the Super Bowl last year and how they got their starting quarterbacks. Did either draft them in the first round? No. The year before, did either Super Bowl team draft their quarterback in the first round? No. The year before that, did either Super Bowl team draft their quarterback in the first round? Yes, one did but the other didn't.

We've had three chances to take a QB at 1/1. In 2002, we took him and got a guy that will never be a championship quarterback. In 2006, we passed up Vince Young and Matt Leinart (and Jay Cutler) for a guy that's no longer with the team. Last year, we passed up Bridgewater, Bortles and Manziel for someone we hope will finally showcase his once-ridiculous talent.

And what of the teams that took Cam Newton, Jamarcus Russell, Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Alex Smith....any rings?

The guys we have here now know defense wins championships and they're going all in on defense. Yeah, it sucks to have mediocre talent at QB but you can win in the NFL with that until the right QB for the system comes along. And you can get that right guy in trade, or the second round or free agency. In the meantime, we're building a lights-out defense if all the pieces come together.

I'm not giving up this season. We've got a ridiculously easy schedule and we can still be better than .500 if we just beat the teams we should and pull an upset or two. We probably won't get over on the Colts but we can be a playoff team in Year Two with the talent we have if things break right.

Nobody said anything about a 1st round QB. If we have a Tom Brady or a Russel Wilson I'll take it no matter what round they were drafted in. But Mallet is entering year 5 and Hoyer is entering year 7. Wilson and Brady were low draft picks but both were Super Bowl champs and Pro Bowlers by year 5. Hoyer and Mallett are what they are and the existence of two great QBs not taken in round 1 doesn't change that.

[HPF Bob]

Joshua is hinting we'll be too good to draft a premier QB until 2017 at the soonest.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by barrett

I want nothing to do with Barkley or Glennon. Both are terrible. I'd be after Mettenberger if I was after any young backup.

I'd be all for Mettenberger as he's shown more (to me at least) than Barkley and Glennon and I think he's better than Mallett and Savage, and will be better than Hoyer - if not already. I didn't throw his name out there because I don't think the Titans would even consider trading him to us, and if they did considered it, the price would be higher for us than other teams since we're in the same division and the risk would be huge for them. It would be higher than I'd want to spend. I'd still be willing to take a shot with Barkley or Glennon if the price is low. We seem to burn late round picks anyway so why not take a chance?

[barrett]

Originally Posted by popanot

I'd be all for Mettenberger as he's shown more (to me at least) than Barkley and Glennon and I think he's better than Mallett and Savage, and will be better than Hoyer - if not already. I didn't throw his name out there because I don't think the Titans would even consider trading him to us, and if they did considered it, the price would be higher for us than other teams since we're in the same division and the risk would be huge for them. It would be higher than I'd want to spend. I'd still be willing to take a shot with Barkley or Glennon if the price is low. We seem to burn late round picks anyway so why not take a chance?

That makes sense. I still wouldn't touch Barkley. His stock/play has gone downhill every year since his freshman year of college. He is about to lose the 3rd string battle to Tebow and get cut.

Glennon has shown hoyer-like flashes of competence. But I don't trade for a guy with almost no chance to be better than the two guys I already have. I like savage's potential far more than those two.

As for acquiring a QB, I feel like we need to either invest heavily (high pick, rare FA, Big trade), or we need to be buying more lottery tickets. But entering a season with 3 guys whose ceilings don't exceed serviceable seems dumb.

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Joshua is hinting we'll be too good to draft a premier QB until 2017 at the soonest.

That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that all we've tried with the QB position are retreads (Fitz, Hoyer) and extremely low probability gambles (Mallett, Savage, etc.). The position is too important to basically hope for a miracle, which is all that we've done for the last 2 years. Instead, we used the first pick of the 2nd round on XSF, who plays arguably the lowest position of value on the football field and will make virtually no impact on the win total even if he pans out (which right now does not look good).


My point about 2017 was that, even if we spend a high draft pick next year (1st or 2nd round), he'll still be a rookie in 2016 so you can't expect too much from him. Thus, I don't see any reasonable way we can expect quality QB play any earlier than 2017.

[Nconroe]

So I was thinking all three , Hoyer, Mallett, Savage were having a reasonable showing so far. Not disappointing at all. It is only the second preseason game.

I thought Hoyer not better than Mallett or Savage, but more experience so he starts for now.

And Mallett and Savage both still young with plenty upside to grow.

I suppose time will tell.

As far as early draft, if you don't yet have your oline, WR, RB, then your qb not matter how good will get killed.

Maybe we could have drafted a qb early last year, hindsight will tell in a couple of years.

[nunusguy]

Mallet is not at practice today because of "personal reasons" according to O'Brien. Who knows what that means, but he was clearly upset the other day when he was named the backup and not starting QB.