The Case for Case

I would like to point out that I chose the second tackiest title for this article and am proud of myself for not choosing the tackiest: Making His Case. Vegas says the over under is 47 articles you see with that headline today.

You would think that a guy who is the all time NCAA leader in passing touchdowns, passing yards, and completions wouldn’t be having his throwing ability questioned. Case Keenum is etched in the record books many times for his tenure at Houston University. But NFL defenses are significantly better than the defenses of Rice and Colorado State.

Keenum fared pretty well in his first NFL start Sunday. He was 15-25 with 271 yards and a touchdown. He put up a solid performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, the third best passing defense in the NFL, on the road in a raucus Arrowhead Stadium.

The concerns with Keenum are his arm strength and height. Scouts at the combine said he went undrafted in 2012 because he could mot throw deep and sometimes receivers had to slow down to catch his passes.

The Texans are well aware of Keenum’s shortcomings. But this offense is tailored well for him. They average only 6.6 yards per pass attempt this season, among the lowest in the NFL. They run a “dink and dunk” passing game which is similar to the system Keenum played in college. The best way to have a productive passing game and hide a weak quarterback is to pick apart a defense with hitches, slants, and speed outs.

The worst case scenario for the Texans is Keenum doesn’t pan out and they have to draft or sign a quarterback in 2014. But that is likely going to happen anyway. If Keenum doesn’t pan out the quarterback for the future is not on the Texans roster and they have to start over.

The likely scenario is Keenum puts up about league average numbers and the Texans finish with a losing record and miss the playoffs. That isn’t the only thing Keenum is good for though. He is a local boy and NFL fans love local boys more than Michael Bay loves unnecessary explosions in his films. He will fill the stadium and quiet the “boo birds” in the seats. Keenum at worst will be a solid backup quarterback for 10 years.

Let’s stop making single games determine a quarterback’s fate. Let’s stop treating every NFL Sunday like it is changing the landscape of football. And let’s stop picking apart every play and enjoy a fun story. Keenum and the 2013 Texans became more watchable on Sunday. Don’t analyze his ability to read zone blitzes yet. Just enjoy a team with new energy and a quarterback who busts his ass every play.