Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, who played at Pope High and North Carolina, will make his first NFL start Sunday and will be on the hot seat.
Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart suffered season-ending injuries, and Yates is the starter by default. He’s backed up by veterans Kellen Clemens and Jake Delhomme, who both signed over the past two weeks.
“He’s worked extremely hard for this opportunity,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “We need to play well around him and get him doing his job. I’m excited for his opportunity. He’s working his tail off.”
The Texans weren’t looking to draft a quarterback this year, but snapped up Yates, who set 37 school records for the Tar Heels, when he was available in the fifth round.
“We thought he was a good player in college,” Kubiak said. “I know the system he played in. I knew how he was coached. He was coached by an NFL coordinator for a few years there. He had a little head start on verbiage and with some of things he was taught to do.”
Greg Knapp, who was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Jim Mora, has been working overtime to get Yates ready.
“He’s been coaching in this league and has been a coordinator for a long time,” Kubiak said. “He has a great feel for those guys. ... Greg is getting tested just like the whole team”
The Falcons have gone to the exhibition tapes and to their pre-draft preparation to get ready for Yates, who completed eight of 15 passes for 70 yards Sunday against Jacksonville. Leinart was injured shortly before halftime.
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