Hold on to your boxer briefs, people, because Saturday’s playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans just got a whole lot more interesting.
In reality, we already knew this would probably be the case, but to get confirmation of it makes it so much more fun. The Houston Texans will roll into their home playoff match up with Brock Osweiler at quarterback. Osweiler gets his job back thanks to a Tom Savage concussion.
O'Brien: "Brock Osweiler will be the starting quarterback for us on Saturday."
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 3, 2017
For the Raiders, you don’t have to worry about Matt McGloin ruining your first playoff appearance in more than a decade. Rookie Connor Cook gets the nod for Oakland Saturday after McGloin injured his shoulder while ruining the Raiders’ shot at a No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs Sunday.
There are going to be plenty of jokes made about this situation, but, frankly, this is the best possible situation for both teams. It changes the complexion of the entire game.
Brock Osweiler has been dogged all season for his performance, when I think the finger can be pointed right at his playcaller and head coach. Osweiler, with Gary Kubiak calling the plays in 2015, was a solid starting-level NFL quarterback. If the Texans had the balls to make a change at coach regardless of what happens in this game, the kid might have a chance at a real NFL career.
In a playoff matchup everyone saw coming, it’s likely QB Connor Cook & the #Raiders vs. QB Brock Osweiler and the #Texans.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 3, 2017
The kid is just 26 years old and the Texans have tossed him a four-year, $72 million contract. I’d give up on O’Brien long before I’d toss Osweiler.
The Raiders have reason to feel good about going with Connor Cook. Cook was my No. 3 ranked pro ready quarterback coming out of college last season and, in case you were wondering, Dak Prescott was my No. 1 and Carson Wentz my No. 2. So I feel pretty good about my scouting here. Cook is a smart guy that can make all the throws. He’s not Derek Carr yet, but he doesn’t have to be. Not to beat a Bill O’Brien-coached Texans team.
“I thought Connor was pretty solid,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio told reporters Sunday. “I thought he handled himself pretty well. Ball security is so huge. We had a couple of ball security issues. That defense is pretty good and I thought, overall, he did a pretty solid job for a tough set of circumstances.”
#Raiders are going forward with the expectation that QB Connor Cook starts vs. #Texans, sources say. Matt McGloin not believed to be ready.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 3, 2017
As for Cook, who probably never expected to take the field in a meaningful game with the Raiders, he’s understandably pumped.
“I’m going to do what I’ve been doing all year,” Cook said. “When I was inactive, I was still watching film and still studying the game plan and going over everything — my reads, my hots and all that. It’s not going to change anything for me. I’m going to still prep as if I’m playing; it doesn’t matter if I’m backup, starter or whatever.”
The Raiders are still leaving the door open for Mcgloin, but that’s just a guaranteed defeat waiting to happen. If Cook does get the official nod he’ll be the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to make his first NFL start in the playoffs.
Other news
The Baltimore Ravens have decided to roll on with Marty Mornhinweg as their offensive coordinator. Mornhinweg took over after the Ravens fired Marc Trestman after the first five games of the season. The team finished 8-8 after a 3-2 start.
Adam “Pacman” Jones has been arrested again and the only shocker is it didn’t happen at a strip club. His attempt to shake up his modus operandi to keep the fuzz off his scent obviously didn’t work. Jones was hauled in to the hoosgow for getting into an altercation with a hotel security guard and allegedly poking him in the eye. It only gets worse from there as Jones head-butted a cop when they arrested him and spat on the hand of a nurse during his booking. So that’s all going to work out great for him, I think.
The New York Jets announced that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is retiring.
Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian is electing for surgery to repair his non-throwing shoulder. He’s not expected to miss any of the Broncos’ offseason workouts.
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