Schaub: Texans Still Definitely Eyeing Super Bowl

Schaub: Texans are ‘definitely a Super Bowl contender’

Posted on April 5, 2013 at 3:50 pm by John McClain


Quarterback Matt Schaub has been busy preparing for his annual GR8 Hope Foundation fundraiser on April 18-19, but he’s managed to keep a close eye on the players the Texans have lost and acquired.

Fullback James Casey, outside linebacker Connor Barwin, free safety Glover Quin and punter Donnie Jones are gone.

“The brutal side of our business is that when you play at a high level, you have a lot of guys that can command top dollar as free agents, and you can’t afford to keep everybody,” Schaub said Friday.

Free safety Ed Reed, fullback Greg Jones and punter Shane Lechler have replaced them.

“I’m really excited about playing with them,” he said.

Schaub is confident the Texans will be a Super Bowl contender.

“We still have a ton of talent,” he said. “We play at a very high level. I definitely think we are (Super Bowl contender).”

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Unlike last year’s offseason when he was undergoing rehabilitation after foot surgery, Schaub is working out daily to prepare for another season and to avoid another collapse like last season, when the Texans blew a chance at home-field advantage.

The Texans finished 12-4, won the AFC South for the second consecutive year and defeated Cincinnati in the playoffs before getting blown out in the divisional round at New England.

Schaub, who threw only one touchdown pass in the last four games, has received the bulk of the criticism.

“To go through trials and tribulations definitely makes you a better quarterback and a tougher person,” he said. “It helps motivate you and drives you.”

For the first time since he became the Texans’ starter, Schaub won’t look across the line of scrimmage when they play Baltimore and see Reed.

“I’ve been across from him enough to know what kind of player he is and what he brings to the defense,” Schaub said. “He can still play at an exceptional level. The leadership and knowledge he brings to the locker room can help everyone play at a higher level.

“Through the years, Ed’s compiled so much information. He knows how to relay that information to help the young guys.”

When the Texans report for their offseason program in two weeks, Schaub will see Reed every day in practice.

“When you break the huddle, you look at the safeties because they can tell you a lot about their coverage,” Schaub said. “The quarterback has to know where Ed Reed is. When Ed’s back there, you can focus on him so much it might take away from the other guys, and it can (backfire) and force you into some bad decisions.”

Schaub, who played at Virginia, has watched Jones – a nine-year veteran - since they were opponents in college. With Jacksonville, Jones played against the Texans two times each season.

“I played against Greg when he was a tailback at Florida State,” Schaub said. “I’m very excited to get him. He’s a bruiser who’s been doing it at a high level for so long. He’s got so much to offer.”

Schaub knew the Texans tried to get Lechler four years ago, but then-Oakland owner Al Davis signed him to a four-year, $16 million contract.

“Shane has been so good for so long, and he has the ability to flip the field,” Schaub said. “If it’s third down, you might play it safe and throw the ball out of bounds because you know Shane’s going to back up the (opposing offense) and pin them in their end of the field.”

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CloakNNNdagger said:

Schaub, himself, still remains the greatest question mark as to the road to the Super Bowl.

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tru80texan said:

Could not agree more!

The last quote by Schaub bothers me the most concerning Lechler & playing it safe to depend on the punter & defense...as if he & Kubiak haven't already resorted to that in the past. I truly did appreciate the signing of Lechler, but this looks as if it could become yet another crutch, the other being the defense of course, for the offense to shut it down & go conservative once they get a 10pt lead. Truly disappointing that that thought is already crossing Schaub's mind imo.

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ArlingtonTexan said:

When the Texans got the early lead and played downhill i.e. run the football, pass off the run and let the defense rush the passer, as ugly and frankly boring as that stuff was it was the Texans at its best.

We really don't want the ball in schuab hands in high leverage situations, so playing that way is the best option for 2013, especially since any dynamic playerrs will be coming from the draft and relying on rookies is not a high percentage gamble.

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“Shane has been so good for so long, and he has the ability to flip the field,” Schaub said. “If it’s third down, you might play it safe and throw the ball out of bounds because you know Shane’s going to back up the (opposing offense) and pin them in their end of the field.”

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tru80texan said:

I understand preserving a lead, but just because its a lead doesn't mean it will hold up & you should shutdown the engine & coast on offense as it puts added pressure on the ST's & defense. The Broncos game was a classic example of a lead & game almost lost because of the offense going to its pee wee football offensive playbook of run,run,pass,punt last season & the New Orleans game the year before was another example in which the Texans ended up losing due to the offense going cold. I'm not for running up scores & possibly getting players hurt, but 10pt leads normally are not secure leads & unfortunately thats when kubiak & schaub tend to shut it down & coast as the rest of the team has to pick up the slack due to multiple 3 & outs courtesy of the pee wee football playbook. The fact that Schaub is considering his conservative options of playing it safe in hopes of allowing the newly acquired punter to pin the opposition deep as opposed to offering his thoughts on what he & the offense need to do to avoid another slump is what is discouraging imo.

Talk about training & getting the offense going consistently, not your punter & how you can be conservative & throw the ball away. Hate to break it to you, but that talk doesn't build or rebuild the fans confidence in Schaub imo. That type of playing is what got people questioning Schaub's ability in the 1st place. Time will tell, but the trust in Schaub is thin & throwing it out of bounds to hand it over to the punter & defense won't change many minds if it happens in key situations in key games.

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