Texans backup quarterback Matt Leinart says he still wants to be a starter. Texans coach Gary Kubiak apparently thinks that it will happen.
“First off, I think he’s a leader,” Kubiak said Saturday, via comments distributed by the team. “He’s got that ‘It’ factor that people seem to gravitate to.”
(OK, please stop laughing. It makes it harder for you to spot our typos.)
“I know what he’s going through as a quarterback,” Kubiak said. “I’ve had some that have been through that process before. It’s tough to be successful in this league but I watched his confidence come back last year and I watched how our team reacted when he would go in when Matt [Schaub] missed a little time or something, he would go and practice or do whatever; they never wavered and I see that going on in practice right now. It’s fun, I hope he gets his career going again and plays 10 or 12 years and comes back as a starter. That’s what we all want for him.”
Kubiak said that Leinart will play a lot on Monday night against the Jets. There’s a chance Leinart will play a lot during the regular season, too. In 2007 and 2008, Schaub missed a total of 10 games due to injury. He’s currently riding a 64-game starting streak. So either he’s gotten unexpectedly durable, or lucky.
Then there’s the fact that owner Bob McNair has made it clear that it’s playoffs or else for the Texans. And so, if the Texans get off to a slow start and if, as part of that slow start, Schaub, struggles, Kubiak may need Leinart to help save the coach’s job.