Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought on to the Houston Texans to help the team stabilize the offense while they moved on from Matt Schaub and developed a rookie for the future. While many expected the Texans to take a quarterback, they waited until a later round to get Tom Savage to pair with the veteran. In the team's first preseason appearance, neither impressed, leaving many to wonder exactly what Houston would do with the offense this season.
Head coach Bill O'Brien is not interested in quarterback drama. When asked if Fitzpatrick would remain the starting quarterback for the long-term future, he gave a simple "yes" and moved on. Against the Arizona Cardinals, Fitzpatrick went 6-for-14 in passing for 55 yards and two interceptions. Case Keenum went 3-for-5 for 29 yards ans Savage finished tings out going 2-for-3 for 14 yards while getting sacked twice. The performance left plenty to be desired, but that does not mean a change under center is happening.
"I think it is important to keep in mind that it's the first time we've been out there as a team," Fitzpatrick said, via ESPN.com, "but it's also a nice little wake-up call for me and for everybody. The NFL is a humbling game."
There is no competition taking place in Houston, but fans should be cautious when putting too much confidence in Fitzpatrick. The quarterback will get the benefit of the doubt right considering he is working without his two biggest offensive weapons. Both wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Arian Foster are not on the field for various injuries, leaving Fitzpatrick with little to work with. The Texans remain hopeful that both stars will be back on the field in the coming week, but until then Fitzpatrick's stock is low.
"There's a shot, yep," O'Brien said, via the Houston Chronicle. "There's a shot. Feel better about the injury report, where we're at. Not to go into detail with every guy, but all those guys, with the exception of Cody White and Matt Bonner, all those guys are closer to getting back on the field."
Being new to the team, Fitzpatrick needs time to work with Johnson, something he has not had the privilege of doing yet. The wide receiver held out of offseason workouts and has been injured since the start of training camp. Meanwhile, DeAndre Hopkins is getting all of the attention which could benefit him in the long-term. Garrett Graham will be another player to invest in. Outside of those two, the offense leaves a lot to be desired. The Texans might have a solid defense, but their offense might hold them back this season.
