Ryan Mallett and Ryan Fitzpatrick need to work on their TD celebrations. (Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle)
Ryan Fitzpatrick has been realistic about his status as the Texans’ starting quarterback since training camp began.
During the preseason, Fitzpatrick was fully aware his No. 1 standing and the team’s revamped offense were works in progress.
After the Texans started 2-0 and the offense was game-managed to early season perfection, Fitzpatrick saw many areas for personal improvement.
A Week 3 road blowout loss to the New York Giants found Fitzpatrick — three interceptions and an 0.6 passer rating in the first half — criticizing himself but not overindulging in self-critique.
With the Texans at 3-1 and four days away from facing the 3-1 Cowboys in Arlington, Fitzpatrick said he must improve as the season progresses and isn’t content with his initial four games as a Texan.
“I’ve got to get a lot better,” Fitzpatrick said Wednesday at NRG Stadium. “Every week, it’s almost like a broken record. But the consistency has just got to get better. … We’re 3-1. That’s not too bad. But my level of play has got to pick up and I know that.”
This week marks Fitzpatrick’s first taste of the Texans-Cowboys rivalry. He was reminded of the intensity Tuesday during a community appearance, when he mostly heard two sets of questions from fans: “What does your wife think about your beard?” and the Texans better “beat the Cowboys.”
Fitzpatrick also continued to receive questions about his passionate pregame speech before the Texans beat the Buffalo Bills last Sunday at NRG Stadium.
“I got plenty of flak on that. … I still think my dad has watched or downloaded that thing about a quarter of whatever it’s been downloaded, so I think he pumped up the numbers a little bit,” Fitzpatrick said.
He added: “It was almost one of those blackout moments.”
As for backup QB Ryan Mallett’s overly joyous post-touchdown celebration during the Bills game, which nearly took off Fitzpatrick’s helmet?
“That was one of the bigger hits I took during the game,” Fitzpatrick said. “He’s got to remember that he’s 6-7 and I’m like 6-2. So when he goes to give me a shoulder bump, it’s going to hit me in the face instead of the shoulder. We’re going to work on that a little bit.”
Mallett: “I just got excited. I was proud of him.”
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