The Sports Xchange

HOUSTON — For Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer to convince Houston coach Bill O’Brien he should declare him the starter for the remainder of the season, he will need to provide consistent accuracy and avoid turnovers.

Named the Texans’ starter for their road game Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hoyer is maintaining a singular focus rather than concern himself with whether he can earn the starting job on a long-term basis.

O’Brien only named Hoyer as the starter for the Jaguars game, making no commitments beyond this game.

“I’m not concerned about that so much,” Hoyer said. “I’m just concerned about winning the game. Having gone through what we’ve gone through, at the quarterback situation. I’m going to take it one day at a time. Come Sunday, do whatever I can to help this team win and not worry about anything past that.”

Hoyer has excelled in relief of quarterback Ryan Mallett over the past two games, with four touchdowns and one interception and 544 passing yards.

“It’s my job to be ready to play just like it has been for the last couple of weeks,” Hoyer said. “I’ll go out there and prepare the best that I can and really go out and try to execute on Sunday.”

Hoyer has grown accustomed to coming in off the bench.

For the season, Hoyer has completed 62.1 percent of his throws for 780 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions for a 96.8 passer rating.

“I’ve been a backup in the league before and that’s your job to be ready at a moment’s notice,” said Hoyer, who spent the weekend in Houston with his family. “I think I’ve said all along even when I was third string or the backup wherever I might have been, I’ve always tried to prepare like I’m the starter. You try to be ready when your name is called. The only difference is this week I know I’ll be out there when the game starts.”

“I have a lot of confidence in Brian,” O’Brien said Monday.

Hoyer averaged 8.2 yards per passing attempt. Meanwhile, Mallett has passed for 770 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions with a 63.6 passer rating.

Hoyer, though, was intercepted in the final minutes of the Texans’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts, throwing over the middle while being hit.

“The other night obviously had a lot of positives,” Hoyer said. “To finish on a negative note, kind of always leaves a sour taste in your mouth. But you look at the positives, and hopefully try to continue those, and then when you go out there just eliminate the bad plays.”