Fansided

Is Matt Schaub’s career as an NFL quarterback over?

By Jeff Weisinger

Aug 22, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt Schaub (8) watches the game from the bench in the 4th quarter during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt Schaub (8) watches the game from the bench in the 4th quarter during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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And they say you can’t lose your job to injury.

(For you younger readers out there, Google “Wally Pipp.”)

It’s somewhat ironic, and maybe in some way a sort of revenge from above that the man who took David Carr’s job in Houston was eventually replaced by his kid brother Derek Carr in Oakland.  To make things more interesting, Matt Schaub was brought into Oakland and originally named the starter during the offseason until Derek Carr stole the keys out of Schaub’s hand for Week 1.

Jun 17, 2014; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterbacks Matt Schaub (8) and Derek Carr (4) throw passes at minicamp at Raiders Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2014; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterbacks Matt Schaub (8) and Derek Carr (4) throw passes at minicamp at Raiders Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Whether or not the sore elbow played a role in Schaub’s demotion from starter to backup, the simple fact that Schaub lost his job, and chance at redemption, after the rookie second-rounder made his one preseason start count big time.

While the Raiders now look to their young quarterback to lead them back to excellence (or a stronger sense of relevancy), the 33-year-old Schaub now seems to be looking into the sunset of his career.

Seeing the likely sudden end of Schaub’s career doesn’t necessarily mean that he was a bust, in fact, the Raiders made a good move in acquiring a fairly successful quarterback in the league.

While we mostly know of Schaub’s struggles in Houston toward the end of his time with the Texans (2-6 as a starter, 2,310 yards with 10 TD’s and 14 INTs with Houston last year), Schaub was a key part in bringing the Texans from a nobody expansion team to a playoff contender.  He had three 4,000-plus yard seasons (career best 4,770 yards with 29 TD’s in 2009) and was 12-4 as the Texans starter in 2012 (4,008 yards, 22 TD’s). Going into the 2013 season, Schaub was riding a five-year streak of a quarterback rating of 90-or-more.

And then he began a news streak that he’s known for now: four-straight games with a pick-six.

“I never lost my confidence or faith in my abilities,” Schaub said.  “Sometimes the snowball effect starts and you just can’t find a way to stop it.”

The problem with the Raiders bringing Schaub in was the fact that Schaub struggled to find any rhythm toward the end of his career in Houston.  That problem carried over into his current days with Oakland as Schaub struggled to move the ball downfield in three preseason games, failing to throw a touchdown (24-for-47, 218 yards, 1 INT).

In his defense, he also didn’t receive much help from his newly reconfigured offensive line throughout the preseason as well.

Schaub showed that he has yet to get over the giant snowball in Houston and now while still nursing a sore elbow, many would be fair to question if he can ever get over his sudden self-destruction in Houston.

So far, the tape hasn’t lied and the nightmare season of a year ago seems less and less like a fluke, and more and more like evidence of a deteriorating quarterback.

Although we never know what could happen throughout the season, whether or not rookie Derek Carr succeeds as a starter and can stay healthy in all 16 games, it’s still possible that Schaub will get one last heave at NFL redemption.

Schaub can only hope that he’ll get lucky on one final hail mary in his career.

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