2011 Texans Watch-A Different Matt Is Starting Against The Jaguars

The Houston Texans had some good news and bad news as they entered their post bye week preparations to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in their return AFC South division battle in Everbank Stadium.

Thanks to another loss by the Tennessee Traitors, they now have a two game division lead.  At 7-3, they also are in the thick of the battle for the best record in the AFC and a playoff bye week if they make the NFL postseason as it is increasingly likely they will.  

And the best news of all is Texans get Andre Johnson back after a six week layoff for the hamstring injury he suffered in the win against the Steelers that got surgically repaired.    Safety Danieal Manning is also coming back from an injury and will also be a welcome addition to our NFL number one ranked defensive unit.  .

But the Texans lost Matt Schaub to season ending surgery on the Lisfranc joint he injured when Albert Haynesworth rolled onto his foot during the 37-9 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa.

That leaves the other Matt as the quarterback for my NFL footballers and Leinart will get his first start as the Texans QB today.   Having the number one ranked defense in the league will help along with having the one-two running punch of Arian Foster and Ben Tate to hand the ball off to.

The Texans receivers will also have to get quickly adjusted to the different rotational spin on the ball that the left handed Leinart puts on his throws that is the opposite of a right handed quarterback.

Leinart will also have something to prove as well as the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner who didn't get much of an opportunity to show what he could do with the Arizona Cardinals.

A healthy Andre Johnson will also aid tremendously in fighting off a Jaguars team who whined about 'dirty' play when they safely got off their planes in Jacksonville after their Battle Red Day Halloween butt kicking at Reliant.

The Texans will also want to keep their four game winning streak going and their unbeaten record in AFC South play alive as they begin their drive to secure the franchise's first AFC South title and playoff berth.  

That game will kick off in Jacksonville in moments and I'm anxious to see if the Texans can keep up the momentum they had going before they entered the bye week.