Hoyer: "I'm always going to prepare like I'm the starter"

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Brian Hoyer wasn't about to reveal whether he'll be the Texans' starting QB for this Sunday's game against Carolina, but he's certainly preparing for that scenario.

Bill O'Brien had said on Monday he had a fairly good idea who would start for the Texans at quarterback this Sunday against Carolina, but that starter would not be revealed until the first snap of the game.

On Tuesday, in Hoyer's first time speaking to the media since the immediate aftermath of Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, he was asked if he expected there to be no change in the lineup.

"Do I have to try to keep a poker face here?" Hoyer asked with a grin.

No matter how the situation will unfold, Hoyer says he'll be ready.

"Regardless of the situation, I always prepare like I'm going to play," he said. "I'm always going to prepare like I'm the starter, whether I am or I'm not. And that's the only way I think you can approach your job, especially when you're an NFL quarterback because you never know what's going to happen. That's kind of the way it goes and you always have to be prepared for any scenario, so that's the way I've always approached it."

Hoyer was particularly hard on himself following Sunday's loss, a game in which he lost a fumble and threw an interception on the way to completing 18-34 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. He was replaced in the fourth quarter with the Texans down 27-9. Ryan Mallett came in and helped cut the final margin to 27-20.

Hoyer has since watched the game film.

"In any week, you go in and watch the film, find out what you did wrong, and try to correct it, and get better from it," Hoyer said. "And also, you look at the things that you did well and hope to continue to build on it too. It's good that we have another week. It's the second week of the season and we get to go back out there, starting tomorrow, and put a good week of preparation together for Carolina."