Even After QB Change, the Texans Still Can’t Be Taken Seriously

The Houston Texans received an early Christmas gift on Saturday. Thanks to a listless performance by the Indianapolis Colts and a brutal injury that befell Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, a murky playoff picture in the AFC South cleared considerably.

All the Texans had to do was beat the floundering Cincinnati Bengals and the division title was theirs.

Houston cashed in, winning the game (and the South) 12-10. But amidst the smiles and confetti something is most assuredly rotten in Houston. This win was the Chia Pet of Christmas gifts—an unimpressive effort that did absolutely nothing to change the perception that the Texans’ playoff run will be short-lived.

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The big reason isn’t hard to see. Houston might have a new quarterback in Tom Savage, but the team has the same old problems.

Heading into Saturday night’s game, veteran offensive tackle Duane Brown told Sarah Barshop of ESPN he was impressed with how Savage had carried himself the week before his first career NFL start:

His demeanor hasn’t changed. He’s a very even-keeled guy, very calm and poised guy, as you can see when he entered the game last week. He’s doing a good job of recognizing everything and all of us communicating and getting on the same page with each other.

Then the game started. No one in the Houston offense appeared on the same page during a first half where the team didn’t break 50 yards of total offense. Savage completed two of his seven attempts over the first 30 minutes, and the Texans had all of negative-five passing yards.

It was the sort of half that makes one wax nostalgic about the Brock Osweiler era. Or the days of Brian Hoyer. Maybe some Brandon Weeden.

Things improved in the second half, and by game’s end Savage had a stat line that at least resembled that of an NFL quarterback. For the game, Savage completed 18 of 29 passes for 176 yards, posting a passer …

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