Kubiak selects T.J. Yates as Texans backup QB

Aug 9, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates (13) hands the ball off Houston Texans running back Dennis Johnson (28) in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

T.J. Yates has already overcome one challenge in 2013, and a regular-season game hasn’t even been played yet, as he’s been named the backup quarterback for the Houston Texans.

Yates, as first reported by houstontexans.com, was selected by Texans head coach Gary Kubiak to remain the backup quarterback to Matt Schaub this season, fending off a challenge from second-year player counterpart Case Keenum.

Both QBs had excellent preseasons this past August, but Yates still has the experience of playing in meaningful regular-season games and has a playoff win on his resume as well.

Remember, in the ’11 season, Yates helped the Texans earn their first playoff win in Cincinnati.

This preseason, Yates passed for 417 yards and four touchdowns, as the Texans were 3-1 in the four-game exhibition season.

Yates was 35-for-50 with zero interceptions in games against the Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys. He completed 70 percent of his passes.

The backup quarterback passed for 151 yards and one touchdown against the Vikings in the preseason opener and 109 yards in the preseason finale against the Cowboys. In between, he had an 84-yard game against the Dolphins and passed for 73 yards against the Saints.

His QB rating for the preseason was 121.8.

For his two seasons with the Texans in the regular season, Yates is 86-for-144 for 987 yards and three touchdowns, as those three TD passes came in ’11, where he started six regular-season games for the injured Schaub. Last season, Yates was 4-for-10 for 38 yards in four games played.

Keenum will now be the third QB on the depth chart. The 25-year old was 43-for-63 this preseason with 482 yards. He had three touchdown passes and had a QB rating of 106.7. Keenum is entering his second season in the NFL.