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Bill O’Brien has finally done it. Ryan Mallett is now the starting quarterback for your Houston Texans.
#Texans name Ryan Mallett starting quarterback, coach Bill O'Brien said.
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) November 5, 2014
After nine painful games of quarterbacking full of bad decisions, inaccurate throws, and doing just enough to ensure that competitive games ultimately result in narrow, ambiguous losses, Ryan Fitzpatrick has been benched. With two weeks to get ready for the team’s next game against the Cleveland Browns, the Texans are taking the bye week to prepare what they hope is the future of their offense. If Mallett’s preseason tape is anything to go by, that future could be very, very bright.
O'Brien names Ryan Mallett the starter. #Texans face Cleveland on 11/16. He made statement before questions were asked. #Texans
— AdamWexlerCSN (@awexler) November 5, 2014
The decision itself makes a lot of sense for the Texans. The team is 4-5 and sputtering into obscurity. Their record is neither good enough to make the playoffs nor bad enough to ensure a top five draft selection. Mallett’s contract expires after this season is over. With virtually nothing to lose, it would almost be more shocking to not put in Mallett for the second half of the season.
#Texans' O'Brien said it was a "very difficult" decision to promote Ryan Mallett and bench Ryan Fitzpatrick. #NFL
— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) November 5, 2014
The Texans have to figure out what they have in the young man, for better or for worse, before they construct their offseason strategy. As hard as it may be for Texans fans to endure the last seven games of the year, these next two months might just be a glimpse at the next era of Houston football.
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