Brock Osweiler didn't let the criticism following the Texans loss at Denver affect him. He wanted to correct the mistakes and just win. On Sunday, Osweiler turned things around, completing 20-of-29 for 186 yards, one touchdown, and a single-game season-high 69 percent completion rate in the Texans 20-13 win over Detroit.
"He had a good day," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "He had a good day and you're judged by, as a quarterback, by helping your team win and I thought he did a nice job of helping us win."
The Texans, who have trailed at halftime in all but two games this year (Week 2 vs. Kansas City and Week 4 vs. Tennessee), started fast on Sunday with a 14-3 lead against the Lions. The two touchdowns scored in the second quarter were the team's most points scored in any quarter this season by the Texans. Osweiler attributed the early success to simple execution and converting key third downs.
"There's a couple of plays in particular I have in my head," Osweiler said. "Ryan Griffin ran a tremendous route early in the game on a third down. We got a big play there. He had a great catch. Then there was a play, I got blitzed man-to-man coverage and I was able to get the ball out to DeAndre (Hopkins). He ran a great route right at the snap of the ball, got open real quick for me, did a great job of catching it, getting vertical, and getting the first down."
The Texans had a third-down efficiency rate of 40 percent, converting 6-of-15 of their third downs and 1-of-1 on fourth down. Osweiler completed passes to seven different receivers. Houston's offense displayed a balanced attack, with ten passing first downs and eight rushing and never trailed in Sunday's win.
Heading into the bye week with a 5-3 record, Osweiler is satisfied but knows there is possibility for more in the second half of the season.
"Getting a win at home, going into the bye, to really put an exclamation mark on the first half of the season, means so much to me," Osweiler said. "Because the players and the coaches in this building, we know what kind of football team we have. We know what we are capable of. Have we shown it to the world yet? I don't think we have but there is going to come a time where we are going to put four quarters together as a team and we are going to show it to everybody else."
Check out photos of the game as the Texans took on the Lions at NRG Stadium.
The Texans, who have trailed at halftime in all but two games this year (Week 2 vs. Kansas City and Week 4 vs. Tennessee), were off to a fast start with a 14-3 lead against the Lions. Osweiler attributed the early success to simple execution and converting key third downs.
"There's a couple of plays in particular I have in my head," Osweiler said. "Ryan Griffin ran a tremendous route early in the game on a third down. We got a big play there. He had a great catch. Then there was a play, I got blitzed man-to-man coverage and I was able to get the ball out to DeAndre (Hopkins). He ran a great route right at the snap of the ball, got open real quick for me, did a great job of catching it, getting vertical, and getting the first down."
The Texans had a third-down efficiency rate of 40 percent, converting 6-of-15 of their third downs and 1-of-1 on fourth down. Osweiler completed passes to seven different receivers. Houston's offense displayed a balanced attack, with ten passing first downs and eight rushing in the win.
Heading into the bye week with a 5-3 record, Osweiler is satisfied but knows there is possibility for more in the second half of the season.
"Getting a win at home, going into the bye, to really put an exclamation mark on the first half of the season, means so much to me," Osweiler said. "Because the players and the coaches in this building, we know what kind of football team we have. We know what we are capable of. Have we shown it to the world yet? I don't think we have but there is going to come a time where we are going to put four quarters together as a team and we are going to show it to everybody else."
