Quarterback Matt Schaub led the Texans to a thrilling victory on Sunday, and he did so in historic fashion.
Schaub threw for 527 yards and a franchise-record five touchdowns in the Texans' 43-37 overtime escape from the Jacksonville Jaguars at Reliant Stadium. He tied Houston Oilers Hall of Famer Warren Moon for the second-most passing yards in a game in NFL history, behind only Norm Van Brocklin's 554 in 1951.
"It was a tough win; took everybody," Schaub said. "Those type of numbers, that's for everybody. That's just something that we had to do to win. That's what it took."
Schaub was 43-of-55 passing in the game. He topped his own team record of 497 passing yards set in 2010 at Washington, also an overtime game. He set the franchise single-game record for completions. His completion percentage (78.2) was the highest in NFL history for a player with at least 50 passes in a game.
Schaub had 17 consecutive completions from the fourth quarter to the beginning of overtime. He led the Texans back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit with two touchdown passes in the final 5:39 of regulation.
"Matt was doing a great job leading us towards the end of the game," tight end Owen Daniels said. "We had to score a couple times to get back into it, but he kept us calm and did an excellent job."
Schaub led the league in passing in 2009 and threw for 4,370 yards in 2010. His yardage numbers have declined in the last two seasons as the Texans have become a more run-oriented and defensive team, but his passer rating since 2011 – not even including Sunday's game – is 94.3. That ranks eighth in the NFL and third in the AFC behind only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
"I get kind of tired of defending him to the national media," Texans running back Arian Foster said. "I feel like he is one of the best quarterbacks in the N FL. He throws one of the bets balls in the game and he's week in and week out consistent. We like to run the ball here in Houston, a lot, but every time we ask him to pass, he does what he did today."
Schaub was able to shake off two interceptions in Sunday's game, including one in overtime, to lead the Texans to a victory that improved their record to 9-1.
"You just go to the next play," Schaub said. "That's football. That's what this position is about. Whether it's good or bad, you've got to have amnesia, put it out of your mind and go on to the next play."
Schaub has now led four game-tying drives and nine game-winning drives in his career. He has won 13 of his last 14 starts dating back to last season, which ended six games early for him because of a season-ending foot injury last November at Tampa Bay.
"There's something about him," said Andre Johnson, who had a franchise-record 273 receiving yards on Sunday. "He just has a look in his eye on game day. I don't know what it is. He just has this focus. I don't know if it's because of what he went through last season and he's just determined not to go through it and just take advantage of every opportunity that he gets now.
"I think that is the biggest thing. He's just taking advantage of every opportunity he gets."
Schaub got more opportunities than he had all season on Sunday, and he delivered in a major way.
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