The Sports Xchange

HOUSTON — Brian Hoyer is no longer just the Houston Texans’ quarterback of the moment after obtaining the long-term commitment he was seeking.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien declared that Hoyer is the starting quarterback for the team going forward after only naming him the starter against the Jaguars, a change in status after Hoyer threw a career-high three touchdowns in manufacturing a 31-20 road win.

“I would say he’s our quarterback,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to stick with him. He’s playing really well. He’s playing at a high level and we’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”

Hoyer has drawn steady praise from teammates for his grit, accuracy and leadership, and he has built a growing connection with standout wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the leading receiver in the NFL with 52 catches for 726 yards and five touchdowns. Hoyer has completed 63.4 percent of his throws for 1,073 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions for a 103.0 passer rating.

Hoyer’s composed reaction to being benched during the season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs stands in contrast to how visibly upset and angry backup Ryan Mallett was when he was replaced by Hoyer two games ago.

“I thought it was in the best interest of the team to make that decision at that time,” O’Brien said of benching Hoyer. “I don’t regret any decisions that I’ve made. I just know that Hoyer approached it very well, like the true professional that he is.”

REPORT CARD VS. Jaguars

–PASSING OFFENSE: B plus. Brian Hoyer rallied the Texans to a win, completing 24 of 36 passes for 293 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.3 passer rating. DeAndre Hopkins put on a show with two touchdowns.

–RUSHING OFFENSE: C minus. The Texans rushed for only 3.1 yards per carry, 95 yards gained on 31 carries as Arian Foster fumbled once and averaged 2.9 yards per carry.

–PASS DEFENSE: B. The Texans’ secondary intercepted Blake Bortles three times, including two by reserve strong safety Andre Hal. Hall returned one interception for a touchdown.

–RUSH DEFENSE: C. The Jaguars rushed for only 83 yards on 21 carries, led by Blake Bortles’ 37 yards on four carries.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: B. The return game provided a boost as rookie Keith Mumphery averaged 12.5 yards on two punt returns.

–COACHING: B plus. In a battle of 1-4 teams, the Texans were victorious as they were more intense and prepared than the Jaguars to improve to 2-4 and avoid falling into a 1-5 hole.