Leinhart's Injury Latest Hurdle for Texans to Overcome

Houston barely survived its latest quarterback injury for a 20-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that put the Texans at 8-3, the very first time in Texans team history that they have been five games above .500, and on track for their first ever playoff quest. Quarterback Matt Leinart, who had just moved into the starting lineup after star Matt Schaub was knocked out for the remainder of the season with a broken foot, was sidelined in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a possible broken collarbone. Leinart also suggested afterward that he’s likely out for the rest of the season.

Enter rookie T.J. Yates, a fifth-round draft pick, as the starting quarterback. Yates was relatively unknown to this point but showed class when called upon. di we say that he had never dressed for a regular-season game before Sunday?

The Texans' star players have taken the most hits in the injury side of things. Aside from the three-headed monster that has been the quarterback position, the Texans have also lost linebacker/defensive end Mario Williams for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. On Sunday, they got wide receiver Andre Johnson back for part of the game after he missed six games with a hamstring injury. Earlier in the season, running back Arian Foster missed two full games and the better part of a third with a hamstring injury.

That’s generally too many stars to cross out of a lineup and expect a team to survive. But as other Texans have done throughout the season, Yates did his best Sunday by leading a drive for a field goal at the end of the first half to put Houston up 10.

From there, Houston’s defense took care of the rest as Yates did his best to stay out of harm’s way. After all, with veteran quarterback Kellen Clemens, who was signed last week after Schaub was put on injured reserve, still in street clothes, the backup quarterback at that point was tight end Owen Daniels.