Tension Emerges Between O’Brien, Osweiler

As the Texans prepared for tonight’s Week 6 game against the Colts, their head coach and new quarterback engaged in a heated discussion about the offense. Bill O’Brien and Brock Osweiler argued after a quarterbacks meeting this week, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports.

During the meeting, the first-year Texans quarterback objected to some of O’Brien’s play-calling decisions in their Week 5 loss to the Vikings, La Canfora notes, and the two did not exactly do much to suppress their loud exchange after the routine review of the Week 5 loss. O’Brien took over the Texans’ play-calling responsibilities earlier in the season.

Sources informed the CBS reporter ownership and upper management began the push for the Osweiler contract (four years, $72MM). However, we heard over the summer O’Brien had the fifth-year quarterback “atop his free agent list” after Houston’s 2015 season ended in January, so some potential buyer’s remorse may be surfacing.

Texans officials downplayed this incident as the type that goes on during a season, per La Canfora. But considering O’Brien benched Brian Hoyer in Week 1 of last season before eventually going back to him when Ryan Mallett sputtered, this could be something to observe. Osweiler’s job security probably isn’t going to be in jeopardy like Hoyer’s considering the kind of investment the franchise made in him, and the fact that Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden are behind him.

Osweiler has thrown six touchdown passes compared to seven interceptions and carries a 70.6 quarterback rating, which ranked 31st in the league coming into Sunday’s games. The Texans beefed up their offensive spending this offseason as well, devoting nearly all of their resources to fortifying that side of the ball. Houston signed Lamar Miller and Jeff Allen before drafting Will Fuller and Braxton Miller. Houston’s offense has produced just 75 points in five games, and Osweiler completed 19-of-42 passes against the Vikings.

This report comes a few months after John Elway‘s comments about the former Broncos second-round pick being miffed upon being benched for Peyton Manning during Week 17 of last season.