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.

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.

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.