Leinart blow sours Texans win

Matt Leinart’s second chance in the NFL did not last long as he went down injured, but the Houston Texans still managed to win 20-13 in Jacksonville to keep their play-off push going.

The Texans have lost starter Matt Schaub for the season with injury, and although replacement Leinart did well as his replacement he left the game with a worrying shoulder injury leaving rookie TJ yates to finish off the game.

Behind their strong running game and stout defence, which sacked Jags QB Blaine Gabbert six times, Houston rallied to win their fifth game in a row and move to 8-3 and one step closer to the AFC South title.

Arian Foster lost an early fumble and allowed Jacksonville’s Ashton Youboty to return it 389 yards for the opening touchdown of the game for the home side.

Foster responded by ripping off a big run in the next drive before diving over the pile from one-yard out to level the scores mid-way through the first quarter.

Touchdown

Leinart then delivered a brilliant throw to tight end Joel Dreesen for a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put the Texans 14-10 ahead after a Josh Scobee field goal for the Jags.

The left-hander was then taken out of the game with a collarbone injury that looked like it could be serious, and in came Yates as the eighth rookie QB to taste the NFL this season in what has been a tough campaign for the league’s triggermen.

Yates went eight of 15 for 70 yards but crucially did not turn the ball over as the Texans ground it out with two more Neil Rackers field goals.

Scobee scored a late field goal but the Jags were unable to get anything going with Gabbert hounded all night – and he was replaced by Luke McCown in the fourth quarter.

Maurice Jones-Drew had 166 total yards as yet again he proved the only playmaker on the Jacksonville team, while Foster ended up with 65 yards from 22 carries.

Houston will be keenly monitoring the status of Leinart before next week’s game, but it has already been reported that he has a broken collarbone.

New signing Kellen Clemens could taste some action next week – as the Texans look to settle on the most important position on the field with the play-offs looming.