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Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 19 Caption Close Image 2 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 3 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 4 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 5 of 19 Image 6 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before the start of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 7 of 19 Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick celebrates with Ryan Mallett (15) after throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass. Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick celebrates with Ryan Mallett (15) after throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass. Photo: Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle Image 8 of 19 HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) Photo: Bob Levey / Getty Images Image 9 of 19 HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) Photo: Bob Levey / Getty Images Image 10 of 19 Image 11 of 19 HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 02: Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Reliant Stadium on November 2, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) Photo: Bob Levey / Getty Images Image 12 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) warms up before an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) Photo: Patric Schneider / Associated Press Image 13 of 19 Houston Texans backup quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) congratulates quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) as he comes off the field during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) less Houston Texans backup quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) congratulates quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) as he comes off the field during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in ... more Photo: Patric Schneider / Associated Press Image 14 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) celebrates with Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) less Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) celebrates with Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric ... more Photo: Patric Schneider / Associated Press Image 15 of 19 Image 16 of 19 Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, right, and Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) share a laugh on the field after a 30-23 Steelers win in an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) less Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, right, and Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) share a laugh on the field after a 30-23 Steelers win in an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Monday, ... more Photo: Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press Image 17 of 19 Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) wears Bose headphones in warmups before the NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright) Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) wears Bose headphones in warmups before the NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright) Photo: Don Wright / Associated Press Image 18 of 19 Houston Texans' Ryan Mallett (15) takes a snap during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Houston Texans' Ryan Mallett (15) takes a snap during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Photo: Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press Image 19 of 19 Texans name Ryan Mallett starting quarterback; Ryan Fitzpatrick benched 1 / 19 Back to Gallery

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Ryan Mallett is the Texans’ new starting quarterback.

Coach Bill O’Brien named Mallett the starter Wednesday, after debating during recent days whether to make a change. The first-year coach acknowledged the decision to bench veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick was “very difficult.”

“This might be the thing that helps our team,” O’Brien said at NRG Stadium. “I might be wrong.”

O’Brien said Mallett will be given a full shot to hold the starting role. Fitzpatrick is the backup, while rookie Tom Savage is No. 3.

O’Brien described Mallett as a “very bright” athlete who has matured greatly since he was Tom Brady’s backup in New England.

“We are not asking him to go out there and be Tom Brady,” O’Brien said. “We’re asking him to be Ryan Mallett.”

O’Brien made the decision Tuesday evening, then informed Mallett and Fitzpatrick about the change 7 a.m. Wednesday.

“I didn’t like it. I don’t agree with it,” Fitzpatrick said. “But I’ve been in both sides of this situation. Now it’s all about being a good teammate.”

He added: “I respect the heck out of coach O’Brien. He made the decision and explained it to me.”

Fitzpatrick, 31, has completed 61.8 percent of his passes this season for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns, eight interceptions and an 87.1 rating. The 10-year veteran ranks 27th in the NFL in yards per game (218), 22nd in passer rating, 21st in completion percentage and 10th in yards per attempt (7.72).

The Texans signed Fitzpatrick to a two-year, $7.2 million contract last offseason, including $4 million guaranteed. O’Brien’s handpicked 2014 starter won the job during the preseason. T.J. Yates was then traded and former starter Case Keenum was cut.

The Texans have had four starting QBs since Oct. 13, 2013: Matt Schaub, Keenum, Fitzpatrick and Mallett. Schaub fell apart last season, setting an NFL record with a pick-six in four consecutive games, leading to the team’s ongoing QB carousel.

O’Brien only consulted with a few people in making the biggest in-season decision during his debut year as an NFL head coach. Quarterbacks coach George Godsey was involved. O’Brien said Texans general manager Rick Smith, among others, was informed after the decision.

O’Brien joked that the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Mallett isn’t a “speed demon.” But the former University of Arkansas standout has a strong arm and can throw the ball “as far as you want.”

“It’s not a matter of everybody pointing the finger at Fitz,” O’Brien said.

Mallett, 26, was the No. 74 overall pick during the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He only threw four passes during three seasons with the Patriots, then was traded to the Texans for a 2016 conditional seventh-round pick just before the start 2014 regular season. The selection can become a sixth-round choice if Mallett takes 40 percent of the snaps this season.

“My football IQ is a lot higher than people give me credit for,” Mallett said. “I like that. Let them think I’m a dumb player.”

The Texans (4-5) are off this week. They return to action next Sunday at Cleveland.

“I’m going to go out and play aggressively and try to get a win,” Mallett said.

O’Brien said the primary reason he made the change was to improve the Texans’ offense. The team has lost four of five games after starting 3-1, struggling with offensive inconsistency and finishing games. O’Brien said he was looking for a “spark” last Sunday, following a home loss to Philadelphia. The coach didn’t stand behind Fitzpatrick as his starter and spent the next few days considering the move.

“I’ve always been a leader,” Mallett said. “I’m proud of that. I was raised by my parents to be a leader.”

Mallett will make the first start of his career against the Browns in Week 11.

“He has to start somewhere,” O’Brien said.

Twitter: ChronBrianSmith

Do you approve of Bill O'Brien's job so far as the Texans head coach? Yes

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