HOUSTON — Brian Hoyer has his job back as Houston’s starting quarterback.
Hoyer won the job out of camp but was pulled in the fourth quarter of a season-opening loss to the Chiefs after committing two turnovers. Ryan Mallett has started since then, but he has struggled and Hoyer took over in both of the last two games as the Texans fell to 1-4.
Hoyer replaced Mallett in the second quarter on Thursday night and threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted by Mike Adams with less than 2 minutes left to help seal the Colts’ 27-20 victory.
The Texans have 10 days before they’ll try to get back on track when they travel to Jacksonville on Oct. 18.
The Jets and Giants won’t face each other in the regular season for another two months, but Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie’s comments about Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. surely won’t be forgotten by then.
“Right now he’s a one-year wonder,” Cromartie said Friday on ESPN’s Sports Nation. “I’m just being honest. It’s just one year.”
Beckham, 22, has 24 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns this season. But the second-year receiver will forever been known for “The Catch” — his one-handed touchdown grab against the Cowboys on Nov. 23, 2014.
“I need to see it on an every-game basis … not him getting penalties or something like that or sucker-punching somebody,” Cromartie added, referring to Beckham throwing a punch last Sunday at the helmet of Bills safety Duke Williams during the Giants’ 24-10 win in Buffalo. Beckham wasn’t flagged on the play, but the NFL fined him $8,681. “I think it’s all about how you carry yourself throughout your whole entire career.”
According to The Buffalo News, Bills linebacker Preston Brown said Beckham will “get away with” the punch because he’s “the golden boy of the NFL,” and Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore called out Beckham as “a prima donna” who “feels like he’s on top of the world and nobody’s supposed to do anything to him.”
Cromartie went on to name the Cowboys’ Dez Bryant, the Steelers’ Antonio Brown and the Lions’ Calvin Johnson as the top receivers in the NFL. Asked why he didn’t mention Beckham, Cromartie gave Beckham props for a tremendous start to his career.
“He’s very young. Has he had production in 16 games? Yes, I give him the utmost (credit) for that. He’s had the most production out of any receiver I’ve seen in 16 games since Randy Moss,” Cromartie said of Beckham, who has 115 receptions for 1,612 yards and 14 touchdowns through his first 16 games.
“But you have to do it week-in and week-out and depend on that person. No matter if you’re getting double- or triple-teamed. Randy Moss didn’t complain when he got triple- and double-teamed. And people went after him also.”
The Jets and Giants face each other on Dec. 6 at MetLife Stadium.
