HOUSTON -- Matt Schaub should return for Houston's Sunday game at Green Bay, barring any setbacks in the recovery of his injured left knee.
Schaub has missed the last four games after he injured his medial collateral ligament early in Houston's loss to Minnesota Nov. 2. He was listed as the backup on Monday night against the Jaguars, but Sage Rosenfels played the entire game.
"I think if everything goes OK this week the expectations are that he goes back into his role as our starter," coach Gary Kubiak said.
Schaub returned to practice last week and tried to talk Kubiak into letting him play against Jacksonville, but the coach wanted to give him another week to recover.
"He was beating my door down last week, telling me he was ready," Kubiak said. "I was comparing his work before he got injured to how he was practicing last week and I saw a little bit of a difference Wednesday and Thursday. I thought he closed the gap on Friday when he practiced more. I'm expecting him to close the gap even more this week."
Kubiak said he worked with doctors and team officials in reviewing practice tapes to determine if Schaub was healthy enough to play. They were all convinced he was ready.
"They were very confident that he could play and play well," Kubiak said. "But I think we're very fortunate that he did not have to play in that game. I think the extra rest will help him."
Schaub has thrown for 1,762 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games this season. Rosenfels has 10 interceptions and six touchdowns in five starts in his place. He started one game earlier this season when Schaub had a virus.
The Texans have gone 2-2 since Schaub's injury.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press