Houston Texans Put QB Schaub On IR List
Added on Nov 23, 2011 by Jack Thurman in
No Comments
In a move that wasn’t unexpected the Houston Texans have placed starting quarterback Matt Schaub on the season ending injured reserve list. Schaub suffered a Lisfranc injury in the Texans last game and specialists have confirmed that he’ll need surgery to repair the damage. Head coach Gary Kubiak had resisted putting him on the season ending IR list until a full diagnosis was obtained but that only served to confirm the inevitable:
“Well, that there’s no way that any rest would allow him the opportunity to go play. It was just too risky. It’s something he needs to get fixed for his future, so that’s what we got to go do. We’ve got to go do what’s best for him.”
Kubiak hopes that the Texans will be able to continue their quest for a franchise first playoff spot thanks to their greater emphasis on the rushing game this season. Still, he says that the loss of Schaub is big:
“It’s not his fault we weren’t throwing it that much but when we threw it, he was throwing it as good as anybody and he made probably as many big plays as anybody in the league.”
“Everything he was doing he was a better player this year than he’d been for me the previous four years. I think Matt’s going to have a great career.”
For the time being the starting job goes to former USC standout Matt Leinart. The team has signed a backup for Leinart–another Pac 12 veteran in former Oregon signal caller Kellen Clemens. Leinart says he’s ready for the challenge:
“I’m going to pick up where he (Schaub) left off and get us into good situations and do what he was doing. I know he’s going to be there every day supporting me. I’m sure I’ll turn to him for a bunch of things.”
“We all know he’ll do everything to get back as soon as he can. But he’s going to be here, helping big-time.”
Despite the team’s upheaval at the quarterback position the Texans remain a NFL betting favorite for this weekend. Houston is a -3′ point favorite against the Jaguars at Jacksonville with the total set at 37′.
