HOUSTON -- Houston's Matt Schaub will be listed as day to day this week after X-rays of his injured right hip were negative.
Coach Gary Kubiak said Schaub had a "real bad bruise" on his right hip and a sore lower left leg from hits on Sunday. He is also dealing with a thigh bruise he's had for several weeks.
"I left Matt about an hour ago," Kubiak said. "He's moving around very, very slowly. All the tests were negative. All the X-rays look fine. He's really just beat up."
Schaub's hip was injured when Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on him just before halftime Sunday. Schaub had left the game earlier after a hard hit on his left leg, but returned after a short stint on the sideline.
He has started each game this season for the Texans after he was acquired in March in a trade with Atlanta.
Kubiak said he hoped Schaub would feel better on Wednesday, but added he could play Sunday against San Diego without practicing this week.
"There's no doubt about that as far as him knowing what to do and doing his job," Kubiak said.
However, Kubiak said he wouldn't play Schaub if he thought Schaub wouldn't be able to protect himself on the field. If he's unavailable, the Texans will go with reserve Sage Rosenfels, the only other quarterback on the roster.
"Sage, he's a fine player, and if Matt can't go, we go with Sage, and if Matt's capable but we don't think he's 100 percent, then maybe he's the backup," Kubiak said. "I don't know; that'll play itself out, but we're sure hoping that he is somewhat available once we get to the weekend."
Rosenfels has started just two games in his seven-year career, the last in 2005 with the Dolphins in a 22-0 loss to Cleveland.
With Schaub's status for Sunday's game up in the air, the Texans could re-sign Jared Zabransky. The former Boise State standout spent training camp with the team and was released from the practice squad Sept. 18.
Regardless of who plays Sunday, they'll likely be without Andre Johnson again. Johnson has missed five games with a sprained knee.
"I think it would still be a leap to say he's going to be back this week," Kubiak said.
Johnson could return to practice this week, though, possibly working with Houston's scout team to ease his way back to full speed.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
