If Schaub is out who will start for the Houston Texans?
Oct 13, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) is evaluated by medical staff after an injury during the third quarter against the St. Louis Rams at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
When things go bad for the 2013 Houston Texans, they continue to get worse with no light at the end of the tunnel.
The reigning AFC South champions have played anything but championship football this season, as shown by their 2-4 overall record and embarrassing losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams by a combined score of 72-16, with just one “garbage time” touchdown in that span against the Rams when the outcome of the game was already determined.
Now with the health of starting quarterback Matt Schaub in jeopardy, who would you rather have as the starter against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday, T.J. Yates or Case Keenum, if Schaub is unable to go?
Yates played the second half in Sunday’s loss once Schaub suffered his lower leg injury. Yates didn’t do much of anything but play badly. His stats read as the following: 12-of-17 for 98 yards, two interceptions (one for a touchdown) and sacked twice. He also had a fumble.
In very limited time against the 49ers, Yates was 3-of-5 for 15 yards.
Oct 13, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates (13) talks to head coach Gary Kubiak after throwing his second interception against the St. Louis Rams during the second half at Reliant Stadium. The Rams won 38-13. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
Also on Yates’ side is that he does have some experience as a starter when Schaub was injured in 2011. That season, in five starts in the regular season, Yates was 82-of-134 for 949 yards, with three interceptions and three touchdowns.
What those stats tell me is the Texans want or should want Yates to be a game manager and nothing else. His No. 1 priority should be to cleanly hand the ball to Arian Foster or Ben Tate and don’t mess anything else up.
Yates did help the Texans in a playoff win in ’11 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
This preseason, Yates played in all four games but never started one. He went 35-of-50 for 417 yards and four touchdowns.
Keenum has yet to be active this season, but he’s a wildcard of sorts because what do the Texans have in him?
He’s a bit of an unknown due to the fact he’s never played in an actual regular-season NFL game.
With this being his rookie season, Keenum has just saw time in the preseason. During those four preseason games, the rookie QB was 43-of-63 for 482 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions.
He played his college football at the University of Houston and his high school football at Wylie High School in Abilene, Texas.
Keenum could be the hometown savior for this club if he gets the start this week over Yates if Schaub doesn’t play.
If I had a choice of Yates or Keenum, I’m picking Keenum for the fact we know what we are going to get with Yates … a game manager, but with Keenum, he could have untapped potential, and the Texans might as well see what they have in the rookie if Schaub is unable to go.
I mean, in all honesty, how much worse could it get for this team if they do play him? Probably not much.