Brock Osweiler's performance against the Denver Broncos Monday night was a microcosm of his entire season to this point. And it's beginning to look like the Texan's $72 million gamble is destined for failure.
In his first outing against his former team, Osweiler completed 22-of-41 for 131 yards. His longest completion traveled 13 yards, he fumbled the ball three times and his 3.2 yards per attempt was the lowest in the NFL so far this season. In a word, his "homecoming" was atrocious.
But signs that Osweiler's struggled to get out of the gate in 2016 were apparent long before Monday night. According to ESPN, he''s the first quarterback in league history to throw for less than 200 yards on at least 40 attempts in three different games in the same season. And he's averaging a minuscule 5.72 yards per pass attempt, dead last in the NFL.
Still, though, he's got the full support of head coach Bill O'Brien, who says he hasn't even considered benching the 5th-year veteran.
"I think he can play better," O'Brien said. "I know that the receivers can run routes better. We continue to work and we continue to go down the same inconsistent road, but eventually we have to find consistency or we're not going to be where we want to be."
O'Brien's right in one respect—-there's still plenty of time for an about face. Despite a 4-3 record and losses in two of their last three, the Texans still sit atop the AFC South, and with wins against division rivals Indianapolis and Tennessee, they're still in the driver's seat.
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But issues with getting on the same page as his receivers need to be straightened out in short order. The production of DeAndre Hopkins this season is a prime example. Hopkins had a stellar 2015 campaign, catching 111 balls for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns, the league's third best receiving totals. This season, his numbers, 36 receptions for 390 yards and 3 touchdowns, have fallen off a cliff.
It is worth noting, however, that when Houston brought Osweiler on for the ungodly sum of $72 million ($37 million guaranteed) over four years he was seen as a development project. But to play devil's advocate here, if it hasn't come together after 14 starts, not to mention having been under the tutelage of Peyton Manning for 4 years, the future's not looking too bright.
