Savage Words: Houston’s Starting QB Is Ready

Over at NFL.com Nick Shook did a short piece on Tom Savage, Deshaun Watson, and Houston’s overall QB situation. While the article reaffirms that Tom Savage currently sits squarely in the QB1 spot, it also gives a little insight into Savage’s mindset.

"I mean, obviously, you get motivated," he told Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on the SiriusXM Blitz. "We're all competitors here and if you didn't have a little chip on your shoulder, you don't have a pulse, really. And that's kind of the mindset I had for it.

"But I also learned a valuable lesson early on my college career, high school career, and that's you don't bite the hand that feeds you. So you go out there and you compete and you work your tail off, and the cream will rise to the top, and that's kind of the mindset that I have."

The author cites how Savage weathered the Brock Osweiler signing last offseason as an example to show how cool Savage can be in the face of adversity.

Savage sat by idly as Houston went out and dropped truckloads of money on Brock Osweiler last offseason, only to see the starter benched after a maddeningly inconsistent first 14 weeks of the season. Not biting the hand that feeds paid off when Savage stepped in as the new starter, and although it was shortlived thanks to injury, it opened the door for more in 2017.

The folks at NFL.com aren’t the only ones convinced Savage needs to be the starter. Houston’s own WR1 Deandre Hopkins has tossed his hat into Tom’s ring as well.

"I like his leadership," Hopkins said. "From last year, when he wasn't playing on the field, he was still showing the guys, telling us what we should do, helping us out like he was the starting quarterback. Now that he's in that role, it's no surprise to anybody on this field that he deserves that role. He has earned it, not just from playing, but from the chemistry he has built in the locker room with everybody.”

Based on the comments coming out of NRG Park, the job is Savage’s to lose, but it might not take much for him to do just that. Deshaun Watson has allegedly brought a work ethic that rivals J.J. Watt, which is something this offense needs in its leaders —something that seemed to be missing from the QB1 role for at least 14 of the last 16 games.