Matt Leinart Gets His Starting Job As Matt Schaub Is Out For Rest Of Season

We Arizona Cardinals fans were very confused at the decision Matt Leinart came to in the offseason when it was rumored that he was set to sign with the Seattle Seahawks to reunite with Pete Carroll, but then decided to return to the Houston Texans as a backup to Matt Schaub.

It turns out that the decision to stay in Houston wasn't that bad an idea. Starting QB Matt Schaub is now reportedly out for the season with a foot injury, even though Texans head coach Gary Kubiak is refuting that report of being done for 2011. 

What Leinart will inherit is a 7-3 team that is currently the number one seed in the AFC. He has a dominant running game with Arian Foster and Ben Tate, a very good defense and, when he returns from injury, one of the best receivers in football in Andre Johnson.

The timing couldn't be better either. The Texans have a bye this week, so he gets first team reps this week and next week before he has to go to Jacksonville and play against a weak Jaguars team. The remaining schedule for Houston is not terribly difficult, so if there were ever a situation in which Leinart could succeed, this is it. 

He has had a year and a half to learn the offensive system, he has a coach in Kubiak that has done nothing but sing praises about him and he has a very good team around him. 

Since I was a guy in Matty's corner back in the day when he was a "gift from heaven," and since rooting for Houston in the AFC does me no harm with my fandom, I really hope to see him succeed, partially because I always believed in him here and partially because I want him to show he can do it. 

What about the rest of you? Will you be rooting for Leinart? Do you think he will be successful?