Case Keenum will start at quarterback for the remainder of 2013.
Amidst the news Friday that head coach Gary Kubiak's tenure as head coach was complete, and that defensive coordinator Wade Phillips would serve as the interim head coach, came that information from Texans' chairman and CEO Bob McNair.
"Case is going to be the quarterback," McNair said. "We're going to give him a chance to see how he can perform. I think the jury is still out. He's got a lot of ability. He's shown some flashes of brilliance and then he's shown some rookie mistakes."
Keenum has started the past seven games, and was replaced in the third quarter by Matt Schaub during the Thursday night loss at Jacksonville. Keenum threw a touchdown, as well as an interception, and finished 16-of-29 for 159 passing yards.
"We need to find out whether Case is capable of being a starter or whether he's capable of being a backup and the way you find that out is by playing him," McNair said. "We have waited to see how that was developing and to see how much progress we could make in the development of him as a player."
The second-year undrafted free agent has completed 54.3 percent of his passes for 1,592 yards in 2013. He's tossed nine touchdowns and four interceptions, and has a quarterback rating of 83.7. He supplanted Schaub as the starter before the Week 7 contest at Kansas City.
After the loss Thursday night, Keenum reiterated that he was confident in his grasp of the offense, but that he simply made key mistakes at the wrong times.
"I'm confident in everything," Keenum said. "Whatever they throw at me, I am prepared and ready to go out there and operate whatever I need to operate."
The Texans have the weekend off, and will resume practice next week before traveling to Indianapolis a week from this Sunday.
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