NFL roundup: Brock Osweiler to start for Houston

The NFL Playoffs will kick off on Saturday, and when the Houston Texans take on the Oakland Raiders, Brock Osweiler will be under center.

The Houston Texans made a huge investment this offseason, as they signed quarterback Brock Osweiler for $72 million. That investment has not paid dividends, as Osweiler was benched in favor of Tom Savage towards the end of the season. Savage suffered a concussion in Week 17, and with him on the shelf, the Texans will have to turn back to Osweiler for their AFC Wild Card matchup against the Oakland Raiders on Saturday.

Oakland will head into that game with a huge question mark at the quarterback position as well, as third-stringer Connor Cook will be making his first NFL start. Cook replaced backup quarterback Matt McGloin during the team’s loss to the Denver Broncos this past weekend, after McGloin hurt his non-throwing shoulder. Head coach Jack Del Rio will now try to lead the Raiders in their first playoff appearance since 2002 with an unknown at the most important position on the field.

The offseason was only one day old before Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones found himself in trouble with the law. Jones was charged with head-butting a cop and spitting on a nurse, after he was arrested for disorderly conduct. This is not his first brush with the law, as his off-the-field activities have threatened to end his career on a few occasions. The Bengals were very disappointing in 2016, and Jones’ arrest is another black-eye on the organization.

Of the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, three first-year eligibles dot the list. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Brian Dawkins are all on the short list, though it is possible only LT gets in on the first try. This class has some finalists on it that have been there for a while, including three-time nominees Terrell Davis and Kurt Warner. In 2016, the draft class was headlined by a first-year eligible player, as quarterback Brett Favre was definitely the main attraction.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: 30 Best QB of All-Time

In 2016, the New York Jets were one of the more disappointing teams in the league, as they went from 10-6 in 2015, to 5-11 this past season. The team decided to retain head coach Todd Bowles, but his coaching staff was diced up on Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey retired, and five other assistant coaches were shown the door. Bowles has two years left on his deal, but another bad season in 2017 should spell the end of his tenure with the beleaguered franchise.