Beyond the Boxscore

Drew Brees sees his equal: Matt Schaub looks ready to go elite and even out wowLuck and RG3

Whether it's in shorts during training camp or in the heat of a loud Superdome,Matt Schaub knows how to throw the football.
Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
Drew Brees
Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

There is sure to be plenty of grumbling about the Houston Texans' 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the third preseason game.

After all, it's been a week of hearing about how this is the important preseason game, which is a lot like talking about a crucial episode of Bachelor Pad. Sorry, neither species exists.

If you think a Texans' defense playing without J.J. Watt, Brian Cushing and Shaun Cody giving up 17 first-half points to Drew Brees (remember Trindon Holliday fumbled away seven first-half points on special teams) and 412 yards overall is alarming, you need a reality check. Guess what? The Texans are going to have issues in any game they don't have both Watt and Cushing.

Schaub finishes his preseason 29 for 38. There are surgeons in the Texas Medical Center who would love to be that precise.

Wade Phillips might be a miracle worker, but even the Son of Bum has limits. Especially when he's purposely playing a vanilla defense that doesn't do anything to protect Kareem Jackson.

The Bulls On Parade D will be fine. As will rookie receiver Keshawn Martin (two fumbles and all) and even Holliday (the 5-foot-5 difference maker had a 62-yard return along with that fumble, he's still making the roster).

No, the biggest thing to come out of this Saturday night in the Superdome — besides the fact that Gary Kubiak once again needlessly allowed Andre Johnson to get banged around in a meaningless exhibition — is just how good quarterback Matt Schaub looks. Less than a year removed from having his foot crushed, Schaub is throwing the football like he's determined to move into the ranks of the elite quarterbacks.

How about 15-of-18 passing for 194 yards, more than 10 yards per attempt, on the fast Superdome turf? How about hitting eight different receivers on the Texans' first three drives?

Brees was his usual deadly self (17 of 25 for 179 yards and two touchdowns) — and still, Schaub was a little better.

In fact on a night when quarterbacks absolutely dominated storylines around the league (from Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III's duel to Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's hand injury), Schaub played the best of all.

If you don't think this is a significant development as a season in which the Texans will face Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Stafford approaches, you're missing the big picture. It's unrealistic to expect Wade's Warriors to carry the Texans in every game. Schaub will need to win some duels.

His already looking ready to do it is the most significant story of the preseason. It's easy to forget how well Schaub played in his last game of 2011 (11 of 15 for 242 yards and two touchdowns) as the Texans looked Super Bowl worthy in a 37-9 demolition of Tampa Bay.

The biggest and scariest questions of the offseason all centered on Schaub. It's one thing for Schaub and Kubiak to say he's going to be fine. But Texans' fans needed to see it. Defenses around the league needed to see it.

Now they have.

Scary Good Numbers

Schaub finishes his preseason (even Kubiak will not play anyone important on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings) 29 for 38. That's a 76.3 completion percentage. There are surgeons in the Texas Medical Center who would love to be that precise.

He's answered all the questions about his health. Now, he appears poised to attack the ones about his ability to be an elite quarterback.

Less than a year removed from having his foot crushed, Schaub is throwing the football like he's determined to move into the ranks of the elite quarterbacks.

It's easy to dismiss Schaub as "second tier." The Oakland Raiders came right out and charged him with choking after he failed to run in that touchdown against them in the closing seconds of an early October game last season.

But the 31-year-old will never have a better chance to throw darts into the face of those doubts this season.

Kubiak's once again developed him more weapons — with tall target Lestar Jean, Martin, do-everything James Casey (three catches Saturday night) and second tight end Garrett Graham (four catches for 97 yards) all poised to play significant roles.

Schaub will never get the constant drumbeat of headlines that Luck, RG3 and Brees draw. But he just might end up outplaying them all. Sometimes it's just your time. This is looking more and more like Matt Schaub's time.

Don't be surprised if the Steady Quarterback ends up wowing. Right back to New Orleans.

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pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings