The Houston Texans named quarterback Brian Hoyer their starting quarterback going forward, and on Sunday he made the start against the New Orleans Saints for the team's third preseason game. Hoyer was sharp in his limited time, playing less than starters typically play in Week 3 of the exhibition season, but the last thing Houston wants at this stage is to lose the guy who just won a quarterback battle. Whatever the case, he contributed to Houston's 27-13 victory.
NFL preseason 2015 scores and results: Brian Hoyer solid as Texans beat Saints, 27-13
Brian Hoyer is the Texans’ starter, and he looked good against the Saints in preseason action on Sunday.
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Hoyer completed 7 of 11 passes for 82 yards, and though he didn't have a touchdown, he also didn't throw an interception and avoided getting sacked. He did lead the Texans on a touchdown drive his first time out, and managed to hit his No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a beautiful 29-yard pass on the first throw of the game.
Saints starting quarterback Drew Brees also didn't see much playing time, which isn't surprising. He probably just wanted to get out there and take a few snaps, and that's what he did. Brees completed 4 of 6 passes for 40 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. There wasn't much to report for New Orleans' starters -- they saw the field briefly, looked fine, and then moved on as far as the offensive side of the ball is concerned.
On defense, they did allow that big pass to Hopkins and there was another big play that looked an awful lot like a Hoyer touchdown pass but was ultimately called back by the officials as an incomplete pass. Here’s the one that WAS complete:
Hoyer was battling Ryan Mallett for the starting job for the majority of this offseason, but Mallett wasn't as consistent as Hoyer and also showed up late to a practice after he slept in. He got a long look on Sunday and he didn't show anything that might convince the Texans they made the wrong call. Mallett completed 9 of 17 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, and had one carry for 4 yards.
Luke McCown was the backup quarterback for the Saints and he looked solid. He completed 8 of 14 passes for 117 yards, but was sacked twice for a loss of 12 yards. New Orleans running back Edwin Baker busted a 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, while none of the Houston running backs managed to do much. Chris Polk had 22 yards, but that came on 11 carries. Alfred Blue did manage to get a touchdown though, and finished with five carries for 18 yards. Houston receiver Jaelen Strong was targeted early and often. He looked good on the day, and the rookie finished the game with five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. On the other side, New Orleans receiver Willie Snead caught four passes for 56 yards.
Houston will wrap up its preseason against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 3, and it's a safe bet that Hoyer won't see much time in that game, if any. The Saints will finish against the Green Bay Packers on the same day.
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