Regardless of how Osweiler wound up in Houston, there's no denying he intends to make the most of every day there. He has a new set of questions every time he meets with offensive coordinator George Godsey, who likes Osweiler's decisiveness and, as Godsey said, "when Brock makes a mistake, he gives you a reason." The Texans' offense also gives the quarterback more control at the line of scrimmage than Osweiler found in Denver. As Godsey said, "When you get back there with the football, you have to choose between a lot of options -- taking a shot, checking it down, throwing it away. We want to play at different [tempos], and he'll start to get a feel for how we do that."

"This offense is very similar to what we ran in Denver from 2012 to '14," said Osweiler, referring to the years when he played under current Chicago Bears head coach John Fox, who was hired by the Broncos in 2011. "I have tremendous respect for Gary Kubiak and his system, but the quarterback is more of a coach on the field in this offense. It's like being a point guard in basketball. You have a lot of things on your plate, but you can be really successful once you get it down."

The Texans also ensured that Osweiler didn't feel the need to be their savior on offense. They signed free-agent running back Lamar Miller to bolster a mediocre running attack. They spent high draft picks on two speedy receivers -- Will Fuller (No. 21 overall) and Braxton Miller (No. 85) -- to alleviate some pressure on Hopkins, who amassed 111 receptions in 2015 on 192 targets, nearly 100 more than the team's next most-targeted receiver (Nate Washington had 94). They also still have an elite defense, even though All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt could miss some games as he recovers from surgery to repair a herniated disc. In other words, Osweiler will have many of the same advantages he found in Denver last season.

Just as importantly, Osweiler has gained ample respect for how he's handled himself. Shorts said the quarterback "already owns this offense," while Watt added that Osweiler "understands his role very well. That's what people like about him. He's not trying to do too much out of the gate. He's accepting of what he's doing. He works every day. And he works with what he's got. He's doing a good job so far."

Even people outside the Texans can see how prepared Osweiler is for this new challenge. Erickson watched his former quarterback work out this summer at a local high school in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he, Osweiler and Elway all own offseason homes. Standing on the sideline, Erickson noticed the subtleties that can make the difference between a successful NFL quarterback and one who will never be reliable: the disciplined footwork Osweiler displayed when dropping back, the tight release as he whipped passes across the field, the anticipation that allowed him to feel exactly when a receiver was breaking open. These were all areas that Osweiler had to improve on when he entered the league, according to Erickson. Now he was showing his former coach just how far he had come while serving that apprenticeship in Denver.

"Peyton was the ultimate pro because of how he carried himself and worked," Osweiler said. "He literally was the same guy every day, and that had a lot to do with his success. For me to see how he went about his business was huge. I'm obviously going to be me, but I want to use what I learned from him, as well."

Osweiler hasn't hidden the fact that he's fully committed to leading the Texans today. He didn't join the Broncos when they visited the White House as champions, and he didn't return to Denver to receive his Super Bowl ring at a lavish team ceremony. Osweiler seems totally fine with the possibility of people seeing that as lingering resentment. What those people don't know is that he's more concerned with making good on the trust that the Texans have placed in him.

This is his team. This is his time.