Texans break down

8-3 Houston Texans meet disaster: Matt Leinart likely out for the season

And you think the Chicago Cubs are cursed?

Matt Leinart told reporters in Jacksonville that he is likely out for the season with a left shoulder injury. "I think there's a pretty good possibility I won't be coming back this season," Leinart said after lasting less than a half in his first NFL start in more than two years.

It's thought that Leinart has a broken collarbone. This would be the second time that Leinart's broken his collarbone in his career. The quarterback knows what the injury feels like.

ESPN's Paul Kuharsky first tweeted Leinart's quote.

Are you ready for the T.J. Yates era?

It's come to that for the Houston Texans—at least, for now. Leinart found himself knocked out of his first start in more than two years, shortly after throwing his first touchdown pass in 1,072 days.

Houston (8-3) ended up holding on for a 20-13 win over the Jaguars, winning their franchise-record fifth straight game without scoring a point in the second half with Yates leading the team.

With the Texans leading 17-10, Leinart couldn't come out on the field for Houston's last possession for the first half. Instead, he walked to the locker room to be examined while Yates jogged onto the field. Just like that, the Texans are down to their third-string quarterback—a fifth round draft pick. Starter Matt Schaub is already out for the season with a broken foot.

Leinart got hit throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Joel Dreessen, his best pass of the day. Leinart took a hard shot on his throwing shoulder on the play, but he came back to play another series and it's unclear if a later shot hurt the shoulder more. Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey also delivered a hard shot to Leinart on a pass. His final line? Ten of 13 passing for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Yates—a 24-year-old rookie quarterback—made a quick impact. Texans coach Gary Kubiak had Yates come out throwing in the two-minute drill and the former North Carolina quarterback completed three of his first four passes for 39 yards, including a 24-yard throw to tight end Owen Daniels. He also was called for intentional grounding for throwing the ball away while under pressure in the pocket. But Yates did lead the Texans to a field goal that upped Houston's advantage to 20-10.

Yates first possession of the second half didn't go as well with Houston punting after a quick three and out.

Rookie T.J. Yates is now the quarterback entrusted with an 8-3 team thinking playoffs. Unless general manager Rick Smith can come up with another answer for a team that hasn't stopped winning—or losing major players.

For the Texans and coach Gary Kubiak, the Leinart loss is the latest in an almost bizarre string of injuries. Starting quarterback Matt Schaub and outside linebacker Mario Williams are also out for the season. Lifeline wide receiver Andre Johnson just returned after missing six games. Tailback Arian Foster, the NFL's reigning rushing leader, missed most of four games with a hamstring injury.

And on, it goes . . .

"I know he's very disappointed," Kubiak said of Leinart in his postgame press conference. "We'll keep our fingers crossed until we get home."

Leinart will get more X-rays when he returns to Houston, but he knows better than to expect anything different.

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News on the Court

Huge pickleball franchise serves up first 2 Austin-area locations

The Picklr/Instagram

This growing chain of indoor courts plans five location in the Austin area.

Austin rings with the rubbery pop of pickleball as it takes over as the 2020s-defining sport. Joining the local fray in fall 2024 is The Picklr, a network of indoor pickleball courts that plans to open five locations across Austin and Round Rock over the next year-and-a-half.

The Utah-headquartered network calls itself North America’s fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, and its living up that reputation by launching its first two Austin-area locations at once: one at Round Rock Crossing (3021-3023 S I-35 Frontage Rd.) and the other in a former Walmart building in West Austin's Four Points neighborhood (8201 N FM 620).

Even though they're indoors, the courts will feature outdoor-style surfacing, and accommodate unlimited league play, tournaments, and open play. Alongside those courts is dedicated practice and warmup space, plus a pro shop, and a space for private events.

Both are large, but the Austin location is much bigger, coming at 39,000 square feet and encapsulating 11 courts. Sharing a small portion of the Austin space is Wired Fitness & Rehab. Round Rock's location fits eight courts in 25,000 square feet.

The Picklr works on a membership basis without tiers — all players have the same level of access. Bookings are also unlimited in frequency, although only one reservation may be held at once. For more organized play, members can participate in skill-based clinics, which take place on a weekly basis, or one-on-one lessons.

“We’re fortunate that Austin is home to one of the best pickleball communities in the country, and it’s had such a positive impact on our lives. That’s why we’re excited to build a club with pro-level resources and help make pickleball more accessible to everyone,” said The Picklr Round Rock owners Jennifer Zanfardino and Chris Gennarelli.

The owners of the West Austin location, David and Karen Hoisington, are multi-generational Austinites who have taken local sports to heart since childhood. They point out the stores leagues tying together the Austin scene. “Being part of a strategic partnership with leaders in the Pickleball sport has been inspiring and a privilege for us. Pickleball Inc., PPA Tour, MLP and Pickleball Central are all set to drive growth and memberships at The Picklr. We are excited to come alongside the awesome Pickleball community in Austin, Texas.”

The Austin-area locations are among 300 new ones being built "over the next few years," housing about 2,500 courts. Online reviews of Picklr vary, often due to shifts in policy as the fast-growing franchise creates its standardized rule set.

New users can sign up for a $10, 30-day trial. Both the West Austin and Round Rock locations will accept applications for founding members, which are just regular members with a permanent discount as thanks for signing up early. A submission form on each page will notify interested players when presales start.

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