Jets Cromartie Dodges Serious Injury, Schaub Sits on Short Leash
As the New York Jets (3-2) get ready to play the Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4) on Sunday, they’ll have to wait and see about some of their veteran players taking the field or not.
Antonio Cromartie
On Thursday in practice, cornerback Antonio Cromartie went down with a knee injury and had been taken for an MRI. Fortunately for him and the team, the player does not have a season-ending injury and it is not very serious. As for whether he’ll play in Sunday’s game it is doubtful; he had been listed on the team’s Thursday injury report  as “limited participation.”
The Jets are further battling a banged up secondary as its rookie cornerback Dee Milliner has a hammy injury and will likely be out for Sunday’s game. Even when he has played this season, Millner’s play has been disappointing. In his absence, Darrin Walls and Kyle Wilson will have to step up but they haven’t added much either. The duo will likely start should both Millner and Cromartie not play as well as Ellis Lankster and Isaiah Trufant.
If Cromartie misses Sunday’s game, it will be a first for the player in his three-plus seasons with the Jets.
In other Jets’ injury news, wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who is suffering from hamstring/foot injury problems, will be a game-time decision. On Thursday, the player did not not practice but said he felt good but his hamstring is still bothering him.
He said via ESPN.com of his potential return, “Whenever the trainers put me back on the field. It’s up to the doctors right now.”
For the Jets, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons (1-4) on Monday night, they’ll look to keep their win streak alive against the winless Steelers. They’ll do so with a tight victory (-1, 41 o/u).
Schaub Is the Starter But…
After expressing some doubt about naming quarterback Matt Schauab as his starter for Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams (2-3), Texans coach Gary Kubiak has now said should the player’s interceptions continue, he won’t hesitate to insert backup T.J. Yates to play.
Matt Schaub
According to NFL.com,Schaub’s “immediate job status is in doubt” and that the Texans’ coaching staff  believes that it’s “simply not fair to the rest of the team” to continue playing at a disadvantage.
As for Schaub, he’ll have to put behind last Sunday’s 34-3 loss against the San Francisco 49ers (3-2). This included three interceptions, including his fourth pick-six in his fourth straight game–a league record.
For the day, he went 19 of 35 and 173 yards.
Schaub is confident about his starting role and said this week about Yates taking his spot via the Houston Chronicle, “I never was worried about that. I’m the quarterback of this team. I’ve worked very hard to be in this position. My focus is to give my team a chance to win on Sunday.â€
Schaub had said he hasn’t lost his confidence and added, “I’m supremely confident in my abilities and what I can do on the field.â€
Meanwhile his coach appears concerned about it is evidenced by Schaub’s short leash. Since Kubiak became the Texans’ head coach back in 2006, this is the first time that the team hasn’t scored a touchdown in two of its three games. It sits in the AFC South’s third spot, right above the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5).
Should Yates take over, the team will have a quarterback with some experience. Drafted by the Texans in 2011, he had first starts in his rookie year as Schaub was out with Lisfranc injury and backup Matt Leinart got injured himself.
During his tenure, he had three passing touchdowns (80.7 rating), three picks, and sacked 15 times.
This week, Houston will snap its losing streak (-8.5, 42 o/u).
