It's been a streaky year for Brandon Weeden while playing for two different NFL teams. Weeden started the year with the Cowboys and took over at quarterback for an injured Tony Romo in Week 2. Under Weeden, the team lost three straight games. He turned the job over to Matt Cassell, and when Romo healed for Week 11, Weeden was waived by the team.
One day later, the Texas claimed Weeden off waivers. On Dec. 20, Weeden made his Texans debut, relieving T.J. Yates in a 16-10 Houston win. He followed with a start against the Titans that saw the Texans win 34-6 on Weeden's 200 passing yards. Unless the Texans lose, the Colts win and the Colts get help from eight other outcomes in Week 17, Weeden and Houston will be in the playoffs.
Earlier this year, Jones said the Cowboys would have won all the games Weeden lost had Cassell started. When an Oklahoma radio station asked Weeden Monday about those comments, Weeden laid into his former boss.
"We get to play extra football and he'll be watching on his couch," Weeden said. "That's what it's all about. We're playing for something and this is a fun time of the year."
The NFL is a weird league. Weeden is the fourth quarterback to start this season for Houston. If Brian Hoyer's concussion recovery is prolonged (although reports say he could return as early as this Sunday), the six AFC playoff quarterbacks could be Weeden, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alex Smith, AJ McCarron and Brock Osweiler. Oh, and Tom Brady.
Weeden, an Oklahoma City native, is finding peace in his second Texas city of the season. He's also getting more support than he did in Jerry's World.
"Obviously a lot of guys here got my back," Weeden said. "Nate Washington said some really nice things after last week's win, which I really appreciated. Everybody here has got my back. They understand how the league works. I think they were just as shocked as I was with some of the things that maybe Jerry or whoever was saying. It was kind of one of those things. Like I said, everybody here has my back. When it's all said and done, that's really all that matters."
In short, Weeden buried one franchise -- he turned the 2-0 Cowboys into a 2-3 team -- and saved another, quarterbacking the Texans to two straight wins and an almost guaranteed playoff spot.
Even if doesn't take a snap the remainder of the season, Weeden feels victorious over Jerry Jones. After all, Weeden will get to participate in the postseason. Jones can't say the same.
