For the first time as a Texan, Brock Osweiler came off the bench and played quarterback for the Texans.
Starter Tom Savage left the loss at Tennessee early in the second quarter, and was evaluated for a concussion. Osweiler came in and completed 6-of-11 first half passes for 45 yards. For the final play of the half, Savage returned and took a knee. During the intermission, he was re-evaluated for a concussion and ruled out for the rest of the game.
Osweiler played under center the rest of the way.
"When you're the backup quarterback, your job is to prepare like the starter and be ready to play at all times," Osweiler said.
In the second half, he guided the Texans on a pair of touchdown drives, as well as a possession that ended in a Nick Novak field goal. The other drive ended on downs as Osweiler and company were trying to score near the end of regulation.
"He did a good job," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "He did a nice job for us, but we just couldn't pull it out."
Osweiler, who completed 21-of-40 passes in the game for 253 yards, wasn't satisfied.
"I didn't do good enough. We lost the football game," Osweiler said. "I'm disappointed that we weren't able to get the win today."
Coming out of the locker room to start the second half, Osweiler guided the Texans on a 13-play drive that went 81 yards and chewed 4:29 off the clock. It culminated with a 4-yard touchdown strike to tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz on 4th-and-goal, and pulled the Texans to within a score at 14-7.
The next drive for the Texans ended in a Nick Novak 26-yard field goal, and the drive after saw Osweiler scramble for four yards and a score on 4th-and-goal.
"Brock's a veteran," left tackle Duane Brown said. "He's played a lot of football. I thought he played pretty well. I thought he made some pretty big plays for us, getting the ball down the field. We just have to continue to do that consistently."
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who finished with seven catches for 123 yards, said the Texans offense was calm during the quarterback shuffles.
"Nobody panicked," Hopkins said. "We hate that Tom went down the way he did. This is the NFL, next man up."
Osweiler didn't turn the ball over, and finished with a quarterback rating of 80.5
The Texans faced the Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) passes as guard Oday Aboushi (78) blocks Tennessee Titans nose tackle Antwaun Woods (75) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) stands on the sideline after coming back onto the field in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. Savage was taken off the field earlier in the game to be examined after being shaken up on a play. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Houston Texans running back Alfred Blue (28) runs the ball against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
