The Patriots are in Green Bay this week, and they'll be without Mac Jones, who has a high ankle sprain. It will be Brian Hoyer starting at quarterback, and I thought I'd look at what might be expected for the passing game with the soon-to-be 37-year-old quarterback. The answer is, not much.
Hoyer started his career with New England, and he's really drifted around the league. Since 2015, he's started for five different teams -- one of which (San Francisco) I'd totally forgotten about.
In games he's started or played most of the last seven years (only one of which was for the Patriots), he's been a good player to bet against. His teams have gone 6-17 in those 23 contests, which includes losing the last 10 in a row. Those of you still in Survivor Pools who haven't used Green Bay, that looks like a pretty good pick.
Fantasy-wise, Hoyer has at least put up only slightly below-average numbers: 245 passing yards and 1.4 touchdowns. So if you're hoping to start a New England wide receiver (anyone?), things won't necessarily be much worse than with Jones in the lineup.
I'll also call it a decent week to use the Green Bay Defense, although maybe not a lights-out situation for them. In those 23 games, Hoyer has averaged about 1.5 combined interceptions and fumbles, and 2.2 sacks. Those numbers are fairly average in today's NFL, though keep in mind he was younger for a lot of these games. Only three of them have come in the last four years, and none since 2020. Turning 37 probably hasn't made him more elusive.
| BRIAN HOYER SINCE 2015 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Tm | Opp | Result | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Int | Sk | Fmb |
| 2015 | Hou. | K.C. | L 20-27 | 18 | 34 | 236 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2015 | Hou. | at Atl. | L 21-48 | 17 | 30 | 232 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | Ind. | L 20-27 | 24 | 31 | 312 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | at Jac. | W 31-20 | 24 | 36 | 293 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | at Mia. | L 26-44 | 23 | 49 | 273 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 2015 | Hou. | Tenn. | W 20-6 | 23 | 35 | 235 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | at Cin. | W 10-6 | 12 | 22 | 123 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | N.O. | W 24-6 | 21 | 27 | 205 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | at Buf. | L 21-30 | 26 | 43 | 293 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | Hou. | N.E. | L 6-27 | 11 | 22 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2015 | Hou. | Jac. | W 30-6 | 25 | 40 | 249 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2016 | Chi. | at Dal. | L 17-31 | 30 | 49 | 317 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | Chi. | Det. | W 17-14 | 28 | 36 | 302 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | Chi. | at Ind. | L 23-29 | 33 | 43 | 397 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Chi. | Jac. | L 16-17 | 30 | 49 | 302 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | S.F. | Car. | L 3-23 | 24 | 35 | 193 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2017 | S.F. | at Sea. | L 9-12 | 15 | 27 | 99 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | S.F. | LAR | L 39-41 | 23 | 37 | 332 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2017 | S.F. | at Ari. | L 15-18 | 24 | 49 | 234 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 | S.F. | at Ind. | L 23-26 | 29 | 46 | 353 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | Ind. | at Pit. | L 24-26 | 17 | 26 | 168 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2019 | Ind. | Mia. | L 12-16 | 18 | 39 | 204 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | N.E. | at K.C. | L 10-26 | 15 | 24 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Average | 22 | 36 | 245 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.7 | |||
--Andy Richardson