Overreactions: Savage is the man for Texans
Tom Savage is the quarterback the Houston Texans needed all along.
Savage came off the bench to rally the Texans from a 13-0 deficit against woeful Jacksonville and keep Houston in first place in the AFC South. He had thrown 19 passes in his NFL career before going 23 of 36 for 260 yards after Brock Osweiler was benched.
So what if Savage has never started a game and the Texans gave Osweiler a $72 million contract with $37 million guaranteed after he went 5-2 with Denver last year? Savage showed he has what it takes to win big games and deserves an opportunity to lead Houston into the playoffs, right?
After all, he engineered four field goal drives and one TD drive against one of the worst teams in the NFL.
OK, maybe we haven't seen the last of Osweiler in Houston.
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Here are other overreactions following Week 15:
OVERREACTION: The Browns will beat the Chargers next week and avoid an 0-16 season. San Diego has nothing to play for and has to deal with flying in from the West Coast on a holiday weekend.
REALISTIC REACTION: Can't bet on an 0-14 team.
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OVERREACTION: Dak Prescott silenced all the critics with a stellar performance in Dallas' win over Tampa Bay.
REALISTIC REACTION: Yeah right. It only takes one interception next game for a clueless observer to call for Tony Romo.
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OVERREACTION: Andy Reid still hasn't figured out how to use timeouts. He cost the Chiefs a win by icing the kicker, giving Ryan Succop a second chance to kick a 53-yard field goal to give Tennessee a win.
REALISTIC REACTION: Until the NFL changes the silly rule and stops allowing coaches to call these timeouts, they will continue to do it. Reid's just following the pack.
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OVERREACTION: Leading Oakland to the playoffs clinched the Coach of the Year award for Jack Del Rio.
REALISTIC REACTION: Tennessee's Mike Mularkey and Tampa Bay's Dirk Koetter belong in the conversation if their teams get in.
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OVERREACTION: Ty Montgomery would be a Pro Bowl running back if he didn't waste time playing wide receiver most of the season.
REALISTIC REACTION: He had 162 yards rushing and two TDs, but it was against the woeful Bears (3-11).
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OVERREACTION: Matt Barkley is Chicago's quarterback of the future. Barkley led a fourth-quarter comeback from a 27-10 deficit and completed 30 of 42 for 362 yards with two touchdowns vs. the Packers.
REALISTIC REACTION: He had three interceptions and they lost.
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OVERREACTION: The Vikings are better without Adrian Peterson. He came back and they were routed at home by the struggling Colts.
REALISTIC REACTION: Peterson will be in the Hall of Fame one day. Always take the Hall of Famer.
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OVERREACTION: The Dolphins don't need Ryan Tannehill. Matt Moore threw a career-high four touchdown passes in his first start since 2011.
REALISTIC REACTION: Moore did it against the Jets (4-10).
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OVERREACTION: The Redskins are cooked. They lost control of their playoff hopes by losing to Carolina.
REALISTIC REACTION: If they win out, they still could get in.
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