But here's the rub - there IS something to suggest that he couldn't do that. And it's the fact that he's never been able to win much without a great defense and a great running game. The other QB's have. Green Bay went 15-1 last year with a terrible defense and no running game to speak of. New Orleans has had an average defense at best for the last several years, and little to no running game. Peyton Manning routinely made the playoffs and dominated the division with average defenses and mixed running games. Eli's teams have had mediocre running games, though generally great defenses. All those guys have made the playoffs being the centerpiece of teams that were weaker in other areas. The Texans and Schaub don't have that history. You and I agree that he's not asked to do as much all those QB's because the Texans are better in other areas. Where we disagree is whether he could do more if he had to. In the past, he hasn't shown that. I don't believe that's his strength. You believe he could. The reality is that we simply don't know - and hopefully won't have to find out.
Brees went 7-9 in 2008 throwing for 5,000 freaking yards. 8-8 throwing for 4,000 yards the previous year. Entering last season, Houston had one of the top five PASSING offenses in the last three years( 2008,2009,2010 combined.) And guess what.. it wasn't the sex cannon playing Qb. So do stats only matter when comparing everyone but schaub? It's sad that schaub didn't have the defense those years, otherwise you guys would have creamed your pants. What I will agree with the #8 adversaries is that now crazy eight has to do it in the post season. But give him a chance to do it.
A sober post if I've ever seen one... There really is no past history that suggests that Schaub could carry this team on his back; and I hope he will not have to. Still, I believe he could step up to the plate in an extraordinary situation.
Nobody that carries a team on their back in the NFL gets anywhere. However, when Schaub was tasked with that in 2009 (the year we couldn't run the ball or kick a field goal to save our lives), he led the league in yards and was 4th in completion percentage, 5th in TDs, and 7th in QBR. So, he's already shown he can be our entire offense, if not our entire team. But that is almost always a recipe for failure.
Seriously, you are becoming the Hey Now! of the other side of the argument. Just because he's cherry picking arguments that fit his narrative, you are doing the same. Every team and situation is different. There's a difference between a bad defense(Texans before Wade) and a defense that gives up yards but create turnovers(NO defense in their best years). There's a difference between semi-healthy AJ/Daniels post injury/Walter/Jacoby/utter-crap and any of the receiving corp of the QBs you listed. Nelson/Jennings/Finley/Driver/Jones? Harrison/Wayne/Clark/etc. And if you want to say that elite QBs made these receivers, I refer you to Matt Flynn and Matt Cassell before they got their huge paychecks. There's a difference between having a dominating, pressure defense(Giants, Colts during Manning era) than one that have always allowed Peyton to sit back and relax(Texans). Every team with an elite QB invest fairly heavily in its receiving corps. Using high picks, trades, FA picks. Texans have never done this. They have always heavily invested in everything BUT their receiving corps.
How about leading the NFL with 4,700 passing yards? is that proof? Stafford got 5,000 because the Lions were the most pass-oriented team last year. also in a lot of games, Schaub got the team to win, but either the kicker (missing a 35 FG) or the defense (allowing a TD to Sanchez with less than a minute and no timeouts) failed to get the win or protect the lead.
Let's not Tom Brady winning Super Bowls with Dion Branch as his best WR. To be fair, I just don't think Schaub should be mentioned with those guys. If you want to debate Schaub's performance on the Texans that's more appropriate.
Yes, as others have pointed out – Schaub *has* previously carried this team on his back. His combined #s from ’09 and ’10: 761/1,157 (66%); 9,140 YDS (7.9 YPA); 53 TDs; 27 INTs; 95.3 QBR. If those teams had this defense (and the ’09 team Arian Foster), a) his numbers likely would have been better; b) there’s absolutely, positively no way they only win a combined 15 games. And he’s playing even better during this most recent six-game stretch. In fact, in the statement that launched this discussion, he’s currently playing as well as any QB in football. They’re 6-0; he’s thrown 1 interception; they’re averaging 31.5 PPG; and their average margin of victory is 21.6. Let that last number sink in… we’re talking about a league drowning in parity, where 20 of its 32 teams are currently .500 – and the Texans, with Matt Schaub starting, have won six consecutive games by 21.6 points. And four of those games were without Andre Johnson. As a matter of contrast, in the 8 games Schaub missed last year: 4-4; 6 INTs; 19 PPG; 9-point margin of victory. Now, there are obviously mitigating circumstances – TJ Yates was a fifth-round rookie QB; the Texans took their foot off the pedal down the stretch; the competition got harder as the playoffs started, etc. And obviously, I’m not suggesting the wide disparity is entirely because of Matt Schaub – but it’s sure-as-heck-fire not in spite of him. Those were obviously better teams; do you honestly think any of those QBs drag that 2010 Texan defense to the postseason? No way. Yes, the Packers’ defense was terrible last year. But they allowed 68 fewer points than the ’10 Texans and forced 20 more turnovers (38 to 18), which was tied for the most in football. That was at least a functionally competent defense. The year the Saints won the Super Bowl, they ranked 6th in rushing and forced a league-leading 39 TOs. In fact, twice the past three years, the Saints have finished 6th in rushing and won 13 games. They dropped to 28th in ’10 and won 11 – still very good, obviously, but a drop-off nonetheless. When the Giants won in ’08, they ranked 1st in rushing, 5th overall defensively. Their passing game, FYI, ranked 18th. Last year, they were terrible both running the ball and defensively (though very good passing - 8th overall) – but they only went 9-7 (despite only playing 4 teams that won 9 or more games) and won a division in which no one else finished above .500; they weren’t a very good regular season team. In the playoffs, their run game improved by an average of 27.3 YPG and their defense, which had allowed 25 points/game during the regular season, held 4 high-scoring opponents (Atlanta, 7th in PPG; Green Bay, 1st; SF, 11th; and NE, 3rd) to 14 points/game. Eli was very good in the regular season, and even better in the playoffs – but the team as a whole raised its game considerably during its postseason run. IOW, your memory isn’t very good. Yes, Peyton Manning carried some otherwise average teams (though they were always stacked with talent). Peyton Manning is also arguably the greatest QB to ever play in the National Football League. If we have to trot Peyton Manning out to discredit Matt Schaub, I’d argue it’s an indication Schaub is doing pretty well.
Dude, I'm pretty good about spreading 'round rep - but I've apparently developed a giant message board crush on you 'cause I'm being asked to spread it around even more. But this post, and your epic takedown of ubigred (the millionaire one, which made LOLASSAOMCS), deserves recognition for their awesomeness. Thanks for being you, DonnyMost.
So everything has to break Schaub's way in order to get the Texans to a SB? Wonderful, just wonderful. If the Texans don't think Yates can be Schaub's future replacement, they need to trade up for a QB.
:grin::grin::grin: So is Schaub still "good enough"? Do we need to surround him with more elite players? Was the contract still a good idea?
