Bill O’Brien isn’t being coy. He genuinely doesn’t seem to know who his starting quarterback is going to be.
The Texans coach said Monday he’s not withholding information about his preference between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett.
“I don’t know when that announcement will be made,” O’Brien said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle . “Everything that we do here, every decision we make, is in the best interest of the team. Certainly, we know that’s an important position. We know that the fans want to know. We know that you [media] want to know. We know that you guys are trying to do your jobs.
“When we decide on who that guy is, we’ll make sure we tell everybody and move on.”
Hoyer started the preseason opener against the 49ers, and O’Brien had already said Mallett would start this week against the Broncos.
But Hoyer played just one series, nailing a 58-yard touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts and the subsequent two-point conversion to call it a successful night. Mallett looked good in his work as well, completing 10-of-11 passes for 90 yards.
While all signs would seem to point to Hoyer, the fact they’re leaving the door open this long for Mallett indicates they’re sincere about the competition, and giving Mallett a real chance to assert himself.