The NFL Insiders share their thoughts on Texans coach Bill O'Brien naming Brock Osweiler the starting quarterback for Houston's wild-card matchup against the Raiders. (2:00)

HOUSTON -- In 15 games this season, Brock Osweiler hasn’t played like the $72 million quarterback the Houston Texans were hoping for.

But he now has a chance for some redemption after Texans coach Bill O'Brien on Tuesday named Osweiler the starter for Saturday's wild-card playoff game against the Oakland Raiders. Osweiler, who was brought to Houston with hopes of leading the team deeper into the playoffs, especially after last season’s embarrassing shutout defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs, replaces Tom Savage.

A playoff win over the Raiders on Saturday wouldn’t wipe away Osweiler's regular-season struggles, but it could at least give the Texans something to build on with a quarterback who is still owed $16 million in guaranteed money next season.

In his first 14 games of 2016, Osweiler had more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (14). After throwing two interceptions in the first half against Jacksonville during Week 15, he was benched for Savage. Despite the benching, Osweiler remained a “pro,” according to the coaching staff and many players.

After the win over the Jaguars, Osweiler acknowledged that he had been through this before. In 2015, Osweiler started the Denver Broncos' Week 17 game but was benched in the second half in favor of Peyton Manning, who went on to lead Denver to a Super Bowl championship.

Brock Osweiler had one of his best games of the season in Week 11 against the Raiders. Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports

Though the two first-half interceptions against Jacksonville were the breaking point for him to be benched, Osweiler had struggled for most of the season.

One particularly bad area was his accuracy throwing downfield. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Osweiler’s 27 percent completion percentage on throws of 15-plus yards downfield is the second-worst rate in a single season since downfield tracking was kept in 2006.

Because of that, Osweiler was not able to take advantage of his biggest offensive weapon, Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Last season, Hopkins had 111 catches for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching passes from four starting quarterbacks.

Entering the season, many expected Hopkins to take another step forward because he would have some consistency at quarterback. Instead, Hopkins finished the 2016 season with 78 catches for 954 yards and just four touchdowns.

Hopkins had his best game of the season in Sunday's loss to the Titans with 11 catches for 123 yards. All but one catch for 8 yards came with Osweiler at quarterback. If Osweiler and Hopkins can build on that success Saturday against the Raiders, the offense may be able to get into a rhythm downfield for really the first time this season.

However, for as much as Osweiler has struggled this season, one of his best games came in the Texans’ Week 11 game against the Raiders in Mexico City. He was 26-of-39 for 243 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His 81.8 Total QBR from that game was his season high.

“He played a good game against them,” O’Brien said. “In that game, I thought Brock did a nice job of getting us into the right play. Got into a good rhythm.”

And now he gets another chance against the Raiders, this time at home in a win-or-go-home scenario.