Kaz's Korner

Quarterback Play Highlights Results of Texas NFL Teams

Joe Kazmar - For The Record

Bill O’Brien, the second-year head coach of the Houston Texans, spent most of the summer selling his idea that Brian Hoyer was a good quarterback for his team’s offense.

Even though it appeared to most followers of the franchise that Ryan Mallett was as good or perhaps even better didn’t sway O’Brien’s decision to name Hoyer his starting quarterback.

And after O’Brien made his choice, several Houston Chronicle staffers questioned the move and wrote columns that gave very valid reasons why they favored Mallett, such as better arm strength, much greater physical attributes and the ability to move around fairly well.

But the proof is always in the pudding, or in this case, on the field in a REAL football game that counts in the standings.

Hoyer, who couldn’t even last as the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback and lost his job to rookie hot-shot Johnny Manziel after mid-season last year, showed his true colors on the very first play of Sunday’s 27-20 loss to Kansas City when he threw an interception which led to an easy Chiefs’ touchdown.

And just to show that it wasn’t a once-in-a-million mistake, with the Chiefs ahead 20-6, Hoyer was sacked and coughed up the football which led to a seven-yard touchdown catch by Port Arthur native Jamaal Charles, upping the KC lead to 27-6 to the delight of two busloads of Charles supporters who came to watch their hometown hero.

The Houston defense, led by J.J. Watt’s two sacks and nine tackles (six for losses), held the Chiefs scoreless the entire second half. But Hoyer was unable to move his team into scoring range until six minutes remained when O’Brien finally listened to the 71,776 fans at NRG Stadium who were screaming for Mallett to replace Hoyer and made the change.

In the short time he was in there, Mallett drove the Texans to a touchdown, two-point conversion and a field goal, but simply ran out of time. Look for O’Brien to lollygag early this week before announcing he’s making a quarterback change for Sunday’s game at Carolina.

In the Sunday night game involving our other Texas franchise—the Dallas Cowboys—quarterback Tony Romo also had a turnover problem, but it was from balls bouncing out of the his receivers’ hands right into the hands of the New York Giants defenders.

The Cowboys were ahead 6-3 when Cole Beasley fumbled when he was hit and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie scooped up the ball and raced 57 yards for a touchdown giving the Giants a 10-6 lead.

On the first snap after the ensuing kickoff, Romo threw behind tight end Jason Witten, who tipped the ball into the arms of Giants’ linebacker Uani’ Unga. The Giants eventually settled for a 40-yard field goal upping the count to 13-6, converting two Dallas turnovers into 10 points the final minute of the second quarter.

Romo and the Cowboys clearly outplayed Eli Manning and the Giants, but Dallas kept presenting the visitors with easy touchdowns after turnovers. Trumaine McBride intercepted a pass that bounced out of the hands of a Cowboy receiver that led to a one-yard touchdown. But Romo threw two TDs reducing the Giants’ lead to 23-20.

Dead silence rang out from the pro-Cowboy crowd at AT&T Stadium as the Giants drove toward the Dallas goal line after the Pokes had used up all of their time outs.

It got down to third-and-goal from the one-yard line and Manning for some reason elected to throw. The Cowboys had everyone covered and instead of taking a sack and draining another 40 seconds off the clock, Manning threw the ball away, stopping the clock with 1:34 left. The field goal made the score 26-20.

That’s all the time Romo needed as he drove his team, needing a touchdown and an extra point to win this game that should have been an easy Cowboy victory. He connected twice with running back Lance Dunbar for 40 yards.

With 10 seconds left Romo dropped the low snap, calmly picked it up and saw Witten at the goal line, who made the 11-yard grab with seven second left in the game. The extra point gave the Cowboys their 27-26 victory.

It marked the 24^th fourth-quarter comeback for Romo and the eighth straight time the Cowboys have defeated New York.

And to make matters worst for the Giants, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter confirmed that the team plane didn’t leave Dallas until after 4 a.m. Monday because of a mechanical issue.

KWICKIES…The Dallas Cowboys’ All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant broke his right foot in the second half of Sunday’s exciting 27-26 victory over the New York Giants. He went into the locker room in the first half to get an intravenous for heat exhaustion. He will be out of the Cowboys’ lineup for 4-6 weeks. “You can’t replace Dez Bryant,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “I hurt for him right now.”

Just to prove how poorly the Houston Texans played in their 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday afternoon, they were able to convert only three-of-15 third and fourth down situations. However, they did gain 396 total yards against the Chiefs, their second most in a season opener.

This crucial four-game series going on in Arlington between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers should help determine which team will take command of the American League West Division. But I’m still wary that some of the LA Angels’ high-dollar stars might finally decide to earn their money and make a bid of their own.

Orange’s Earl Thomas said after Sunday’s 34-31 overtime loss that he wasn’t that worried about his Seattle Seahawks team losing their first game and giving up so many points to the St. Louis Rams.” It’s going to depend on how we respond,” Earl said in a post-game interview. “We either learn from it or let the same thing happen again.” Earl showed unusual excitement after he forced the fumble that was picked up by teammate Cary Williams, who scored an eight-yard touchdown. “I was excited that my shoulder held up so well. I guess all that rehabilitation is paying off,” Earl added.

Last weekend, Trent Manuel, a McNeese State freshman from Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School, went a perfect 4 for 4 on point after attempts in the collegiate debut. Manuel also connected on field goals from 20 and 22 yards in the Cowboys' 43-6 win over UIW. Manuel accounted for 10 of McNeese's points in the contest.

JUST BETWEEN US…I hope nobody has to experience what we’ve gone through this past weekend when we received word Friday afternoon that my oldest daughter Kathleen (also known as Kathy, KK and Kate) was found dead on the floor of her Anchorage, Alaska dwelling. At this writing the medical examiner’s office had no determination for the cause of her death. She loved Alaska and had always said she wanted to have her ashes spread on her favorite landmark the natives called Mount Susitna—The Sleeping Lady—which is what it looks like. Her daughters Leah and Joanna will eventually abide by her wishes.