Texans Schaub Out

[T-Bonizzle]

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub suffered what coach Gary Kubiak described Monday as a "significant" right foot injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and already has been ruled out for the team's next game.

Although Schaub's chances appear bleak, team and league sources said the Texans are holding out hope the quarterback, who's sidelined indefinitely, can play again this season and will exhaust all possibilities before making a decision to place him on injured reserve. That includes visits to other specialists, as one team official said the team is "still gathering data."

"It's disappointing, but we'll go to work and try to do the right thing by Matt," said Kubiak, who wouldn't say how much time Schaub will miss.

"There's a lot of things reported," Kubiak added. "He's going to be in a boot throughout this week, and then the evaluation process will continue."

Kubiak said the team was bringing in a specialist from Indianapolis to evaluate Schaub, and the quarterback would fly to Charlotte, N.C., later this week to undergo further examination.


The Houston Chronicle reported late Monday that Schaub is hoping the second opinion will help him avoid surgery to repair the Lisfranc joint in his foot.

At 7-3, the Texans have won four in a row and share the AFC's best record with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the team would hesitate to place Schaub on injured reserve unless there was no chance of a return, perhaps even deep in the playoffs.

Kubiak said Schaub was injured on a quarterback sneak coming out of the end zone late during the second quarter of Houston's 37-9 victory over Tampa Bay. Schaub stayed in the game, but he threw just three passes.



Just as the Texans were putting a season together

[Cory]

Brutal if you're a texans fan

[Hondo]

But at the same time, they're in a weak division and can still make a playoff run.

[Justin]

They will still make the playoffs because they rely heavily on the run anyway, but they won't be able to do anything in the playoffs with Leinart at QB.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

They will still make the playoffs because they rely heavily on the run anyway, but they won't be able to do anything in the playoffs with Leinart at QB.

I'd agree with this statement, I don't see the playoffs being a problem and being a run heavy offense I'd say there are still ok. However, this really is the time for Leinart to prove he isn't a complete and utter bust.

[Hondo]

Leinart's certainly playing for his career now. If he plays decent from here on out and somehow wins a playoff game (or puts up a noble effort), then he's going to catch on with a team looking for a QB and presumably out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes (Washington and Seattle spring to mind) or a team needing a solid veteran backup (Indianapolis, Detroit, Denver, etc.). If he blows this golden opportunity and lays the proverbial egg, he's probably done for good. What good is a backup who can't keep you in games?

[T-Bonizzle]

Speaking of QBs, I posted this article prematurely, as several other QBs went down in the past week. Kolb, Vick, Cassel, Big Ben, all went down with injuries as well. Of course, Schaub's injury is significant as the Texans have one of the better records in football right now.

This year, QBs are getting punished.

[Black Death]

preseason is your friend

[Hondo]

The ironic thing about all the QB injuries is all the new rules and penalties designed to protect them. Even with all this coddling, they're dropping like flies as we speak.

This is why it pays to get a good, experienced backup. Cassel is probably out for a while and they're left with Tyler Palko, who is a former CFL quarterback, and 5th round rookie Ricky Stanzi. The Chiefs aren't that great but they still had a a chance in that weak division. That's not going to be the case now.

[Black Death]

well the Texans  will make the playoffs , yes . all matt got to do is manage the game . he does not have to win it. they have a great running game that going to help him .  Now after that is up for grabs

[Justin]

Leinart is a bust....if you can't throw it to one of the best receivers in Fitzgerald then I don't see how he can stand a chance.  Foster will have to bail him out. 

Speaking of the new rules protecting the QB...I have seen some outlandish calls, like personal fouls for someone's hand hitting a QB in the helmet.  Really?  It is frustrating.

[Cory]

I think they'll look at Free Agency. Is Garrard still around? I know he wanted to have a minor surgery, but this would be the ideal team. Mark Buldger is still around, he can play better than Leinart.

[Hondo]

Garrard had a pretty substantial back injury he never told anyone about. From what I hear he had surgery and won't be available to a team until next year.

Bulger filed retirement papers, so he's done. Of course, if someone waved a wad of cash under his nose, he'd come back I'm sure. But I don't see it.

I'd be willing to give Leinart a chance first. He already knows the system and is familiar with the offense. We're getting a little late in the season to train an all new quarterback in a system. Their best chance to win is with Leinart under center. Besides, the Texans run the ball religiously, Leinart's only responsibilities is to feed the backs and take the pressure off Foster with a pass or two here and there.

[Justin]

Yeah, they won't look to FA this late in the season.

[Scott Rage]

One thing that's drove me CRAZY this season is the amount of times teams have been forced to go to their back-up QB to start, and they immediately freak out and start reaching out all over the place. I.E. Colts/Kerry Collins; Oakland/Carson Palmer. I take a step back and wonder...what the hell they think the point of having a 2nd and 3rd string QB is. If you don't trust them at all to start a game, why the shit are guys like Curtis Painter and Kyle Boller on the roster in the first place. Let Leinart play, he's your back-up for a reason. Just manage him right. There are alot worse back-ups to have to play for an 'un-determined' amount of time, and the Texans have one of if not thee best Running Back in the league right now, Foster. Give him the game, and he'll win them just like he has been the past few weeks.

And I say this as a Jaguars fan...who, if we had a COUPLE more wins under our belt, I'd be excited at a chance to steal the division. But it's not our's or the Titans to win. It's Texans' to lose. Just coach the change right, and they won't lose it.