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A sometimes fortunate season has gotten even better for the Kansas City Chiefs. At least on paper. Drawing the start on Sunday for the Houston Texans will be Case Keenum, who has exactly zero snaps in an NFL game. This is official, coming from Texans coach Gary Kubiak this afternoon. Matt Schaub, who is injured, will not play, Kubiak said. TJ Yates will back up Keenum.
Battle Red Blog says this "goes against everything we know about Gary Kubiak." They have more updates here.
Kubiak "We need a spark. Tough place to play. We're not sending him out there alone. He's excited. He's done well since camp."
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 17, 2013
Kubiak "TJ is disappointed as he should be. He promised me he'd be ready to go if we need him."
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 17, 2013
Kubiak "I have confidence in Case. Matt and TJ will help. We trust his reactions. He's going against one of the toughest defenses."
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 17, 2013
Keenum hasn't played a meaningful game since U of Houston beat Penn State in a bowl game his senior year.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 17, 2013
According to McClain, Keenum played well in the preseason.
Wow. Consider me surprised. Schaub went down last week -- Texans fans did the cheering thing like Chiefs fans did -- and his status was a question mark entering this weekend's game at Arrowhead.
So the No. 1 QB went down and the No. 3 QB will replace him while the No. 2 QB is, um, still the No. 2 QB.
This is good news for the Chiefs defense. They have demonstrated they are good enough that they're probably going to get their chances at a turnover or two (or three) against a below average quarterback.
The Chiefs are currently 7.5-point favorites. I wonder if that line will move now.
Visit Battle Red Blog for the reaction from Texans fans. And here is the Mocking The Draft profile on Case Keenum when he was coming out of Houston last year.