PFT: Keenum could leapfrog Yates (maybe eventually Schaub)

Ok, I did my research. I looked up the draft position of every starting QB in the NFL at this moment. Want my results?

Out of 32 teams:

24 drafted in the 1st round.
3 drafted in the 2nd round (Kap, Dalton, Brees)
2 drafted in the 3rd round (Schaub and Wilson)
1 drafted in the 6th round (Brady)
1 drafted in the 7th round (Flynn)
1 undrafted (Romo)

So yes, talent can be found anywhere in the draft, but you are severely fooling yourself if you think that draft position is not important...specially when looking at QBs.

 

Ive said all along that arm strength has nothing to do with how far you can throw downfield...every QB in the NFL can throw the ball 50+ yards. It's about zip while harnessing accuracy...and Matt Schaub is one of the best in the NFL in that area. You make it seem like Case is all-world talent: He can make short, intermediate, and deep passes...all with accuracy and touch...and he can run, make throws with his eyes closed, etc...

I like Case, and I love his improvement. But, Matt Schaub is currently the better QB. Every GM in the NFL would agree with me.

 

The QB controversy really isn't one. Schaub is the starter unless he's injured. I'm not even sure a Sanchez level of suck would dislodge him out of the starting lineup. Let's just see what happens this season. If Schaub has a major setback, I would hope that Uncle Bob would demand a QB be drafted next Spring unless the org was confident Case was the heir apparent.

 

Case can do more things than Schaub. It's all about the experience now. He can bring the offense to a higher level with the way he plays. Schaub looks like the same ol schaub. He is who he is. And please, matt does not have zip. He is accurate, but the system is also extremely qb friendly.

I was talking about all draft picks. there are always diamonds in the rough. Case is looking like one. I wasn't saying this about him last year, but he is showing signs now.

 

Schaub looks like the same ol Schaub? Is there something wrong with going 13/16 for 126 yards in the preseason, against 1st team defenses? The one interception he threw, Hopkins ran an incorrect route and stumbled. Not 100% Matt's fault there...other than that one throw, Matt has been stellar.

 

Everyone knows Schaub is the starter (or they should) it just gets really old watching someone as uncoordinated and goofy as him fumble around as soon as the first sign of pocket collapsing occurs.

Keenum just has people remembering what a QB without his feet stuck in concrete looks like and it gets their jimmies in a rustle.

 

Especially if they went to UH...

 

Same ol Schaub as in, this offense is not going to get better under him and we won't go anywhere unless the defense and running game is top notch. Schaub isn't going to carry us. He better not falter again against good teams this season.

 

Have you seen what happens to Brady when the pocket collapses? It's hilarious.

Look, I understand that everyone wishes that Schaub had an ounce of athletic ability in him...but if it's not one thing, it'll always be another. Unless we have the best QB in the NFL, people are going to find something to complain about. However, if we are going to have to complain about something, I'd much rather complain that our QB is immobile compared to complaining that our QB isnt an accurate passer.

Schaub had a horrible end to the season in 2012...but take away those last few games and the guy was top notch. People keep forgetting that because of the bad taste in their mouth to close out the season. He isnt the kind of QB that will dominate a game and will the team to victory...but how many of those QBs exist in the entire NFL? 2? Maybe 3. However, give him some help with the running game and have a defense allow less than 45 points in a playoff game, and good things can happen.

 

We had the 7th best offense in the NFL, despite having a mediocre running game.

And yes, Schaub needs to do better in the big games...but our concerns should be focused on the running game and the defense.

 

Keenum's rising star adds intrigue to preseason finale

The Texans went 12-4 last season and captured their second consecutive AFC South title. This year, they have an established seventh-year starter at quarterback who's coming off his second Pro Bowl campaign.

The Texans quarterback who received the most buzz during training camp and three preseason games heading into a finale against Dallas on Thursday in Arlington?

An undersized, undrafted second-year pro who didn't take a real snap last season and last started a real game on Jan. 2, 2012, when the University of Houston beat Penn State in the Ticket City Bowl in Dallas.

Case Keenum completed 45 of 69 passes for 532 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions that day, guiding the No. 18 Cougars to a school-record 13-1 mark.

Thursday, an aggressive and athletic quarterback who has pushed backup T.J. Yates hard for more than a month and brought increased attention to Matt Schaub's deficiencies will start against the Cowboys with the Texans' No. 2 role still undecided.

Yates is expected to win the job and hasn't done anything to shake the Texans' belief the third-year quarterback, who earned the club's first playoff win over Cincinnati on Jan. 7, 2012, can't again smoothly fill in for Schaub if the team's Super Bowl-hyped 2013-14 season becomes worst-case scenario.

But Keenum (6-1, 206) has refused to go away and has only become more confident with each outing.

Finding a comfort zone

During the Texans' 31-23 home loss to New Orleans on Sunday, Yates led two strong drives after taking over for Schaub and finished 7-of-9 for 73 yards, one touchdown and a 137.5 passer rating. Keenum's numbers were also impressive: 10-of-14, 79 yards. A 25-year-old who set NCAA records with the Cougars now leads the preseason Texans in passing attempts (50), completions (34) and yards (354).

"He understands our offense, and you can see that playing under center is second nature for him now, so that was a big change for him (from) a year ago," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "I think just the command of game plans and what we're doing and what the expectations are. … He's just come a long way as a pro, and he's very comfortable right now as a player in his own skin."

Schaub is consistent, dependable and more locked in than ever with an offense that could expand this year with the addition of wideout DeAndre Hopkins, a healthy Ben Tate backing up star running back Arian Foster and increased tight end depth.

Schaub also can be routine, predictable and limited. In an ever-changing league whose 2012-13 season was defined by young, athletic QBs who expand the pocket and stretch defenses, the simple sight of Keenum taking off and scrambling up the middle for 11 yards against the Saints stood out to Kubiak - and anyone who has watched Schaub under center the last few years.

"You see some of (Keenum's) athletic ability take over … understanding coverage and what's going on," Kubiak said.

Being named Schaub's backup last season didn't make Yates significantly better this year. If Yates is again in that role, it doesn't mean Keenum won't factor in the Texans' long-term plans if he continues to develop and outplay his size limitations.

For Yates (6-4, 219), watching Keenum's stature rise has left the 2011 fifth-round pick playing with increased precision and motivation.

"It makes you have to be on your game at all times," said Yates, who threw just 10 passes last season after going 82-of-134 for 949 yards, three TDs and three interceptions in 2011. "No matter if you are in the game or in practice or in drills or even meetings, you have to be on top of it at all times."

Tuning out distractions

Keenum's presence also has forced Yates to tune out useless noise.

"There are a lot of outside factors as far as media and the other people at practice, and you start to look into how many reps is somebody getting over another person," Yates said. "Once you start counting those things … it will just get you in the wrong mindset."

By threatening Yates and shining a sharper light on the pros and cons of Schaub, Keenum has been one of the Texans' biggest preseason winners. Thursday, he'll be 21/2 hours from his hometown of Abilene, leading the Texans against Dallas and just one decision away from becoming a full-time NFL backup.

"That's a really good opportunity for me to go prepare as a starter and start the game," Keenum said. "I know it's a short week. … We'll go out there and see what happens."

Just like he did with the Cougars. Just as he has done with the Texans.

​

 

Were there really people in here earlier who thought either Keenum or Yates could actually fetch a 3rd round draft pick in return???!??

That's some zany stuff right there.

 

I think I heard this on CP's show, but If either were cut would they get picked up? I think CP said he didn't think so.

 

Posts like these are why the Schaub debate never ends - the desire to just blame everyone else and ONLY everyone lese.

Running game last year: #8 in yards, #4 in TDs, #16 in Yards/Attempt
Defense last year: #7 in yards, #9 in Points allowed
Passing offense last year: #11 in yards, #13 in Yards/Attempt, #18 in TDs, and #10 in QB Rating

Those stats look pretty similar in all three phases - if anything, the rushing and defense are slightly better than passing - but apparently only the defense and running game are concerns, and no one should concern themselves with the passing game.

 

Welcome to the NFL, where quarterbacks are kind of a big deal.

If TJ had shown some serious flashes either last season or during this preseason, I'm willing to bet someone would pay a handsome price for him. He's got 2 years left on his rookie deal and he's spent 2 years being groomed by one of the NFL's most elite QB coaches.

There are teams desperate enough to pull the trigger on that.

 

Case is the best!

Spoiler

 

Never going to win with Schaub. Its just a fact. The sooner the better it will be for the Texans. They have JJ Watts Prime to consider. Something that they didnt with Andre Johnson. Its a shame the years the organization has wasted of AJs prime. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
Sure an adequate backup QB can lead you to a superbowl but mediocrity has its limits. I would think the goal for the Texans would be multiple superbowls not just being good enough to get one.
And having limited success against subpar teams foolishly instills the wrong mindset that it will work in the playoffs. Its like year after year the organization sets up the dominos and expect them to fall a different way when the effect is same as it has always been. Mediocrity. Being good enough this year isnt sufficient when you have a dedicated and loyal fanbase.

 

No there are not. Not for TJ or Case.

I understand the importance of the QB position, and why teams who need a QB will almost always use a round 1-3 pick to select one in the draft. They rarely, if ever, would trade one of those picks for unproven backup players with the pedigree of the above two guys (a 5th round pick, an undrafted player... and TJ unspectacular in his NFL time).

Add to the fact that they play in a QB friendly system, designed by a QB guru in Kubiak who can max out their tools and put them in the best possible position to succeed. This is part of the reason why Schaub continues to have a lot of success here... but would likely not flourish in any other system.

 

Kubiak will die with Schaub - TJ or Case could totally out play him and Kubiak would stick with his boy Matt.

Kubiak's strength is also his weakness - his never wavering faith in his players, he would not have the courage to start Kapernick like SF did.

DD

 

First of all, he acknowledged that Schaub needs to play better in big games. Most, if not all of the Schaub "defenders" here acknowledge that he BLEW CHIMPS at the end of last season and the playoffs.

Second, those stats you posted are for the entire season...yet, when most people criticise Schaub, they only talk about the last 4 games of the season (and of course the GB game, since we lost...) and pretty much write off how he played up until then. No one ever mentions the wins against Denver or Baltimore. Or the fact that he was 4-4 against playoff teams last year which was better than guys like Aaron Rogers (3-4), Joe Flacco (3-4) and Peyton Manning (2-3).

I don't think anyone here thinks Schaub is beyond blame. Even Hey Now! has said over and over again that he played horrible the last part of the season. It's just that when we see silly posts like this:

We are forced to "defend" him.