Matt Schaub will get another chance but is on a short leash

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) stands on the sideline during action against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park. The 49ers defeated the Texans 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans starting QB Matt Schaub has made several frustrating mistakes this season during critical junctures of the game, and this has led to several fans calling for the Texans to bench Schaub, who was regarded as a top ten quarterback not too long ago. While his stat sheet looks solid when you don’t look at stats affecting interceptions, it’s those costly mistakes and bad decisions that have killed him. Hopefully it isn’t mental, because the pressure from the Texans fan base and the pressure that he has been putting on himself will likely just make things worse. Speaking of pressure, the Houston Texans offensive line has allowed quite a bit of that this season; don’t expect that to change against a top St. Louis Rams DL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Texans head coach Gary Kubiak told the team during a team meeting that Matt Schaub deserves another shot to “fight” out of his “slump” and “keep” the starting job. T.J. Yates famously played well with Schaub out during the stretch run in 2011, but Schaub is a significantly better quarterback than Yates. However, Yates is the better option now if Schaub continues to struggle, so the NFL Network reports that the Texans are predictably going to place Matt Schaub on a short leash this week.

Schaub deserves another chance, but the Texans patience is wearing thin and will officially break if Schaub struggles against the Rams. Expect to see a lot of Arian Foster today, and let’s hope Schaub doesn’t make more awful mistakes under mental and literal (by that I mean pass rush) pressure.

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