Texans quarterback Tom Savage remains in the concussion protocol following an ugly scene in Houston last week, and sources said it is unlikely he plays again this season.

Savage is progressing and began feeling better last week, but the Texans are out of the playoff hunt, and they are under fire for how they handled Savage's head injury a week ago -- he quickly returned to the game after suffering the concussion. Furthermore, Savage is an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and risking further head trauma in the final weeks of the season makes little sense for all parties involved.

The NFL and NFLPA are reviewing the flawed implementation of the concussion protocols last week in Houston, and team and league sources would be surprised if Savage took the field again this season. T.J. Yates is starting this week, and with the Texans' offensive line struggling recently and the team facing some critical decisions in coaching and management after the season, the Texans are expected to take an exceedingly cautious approach with Savage.

Savage was rounding into form in recent weeks prior to having his head hit the turf while being tackled in the end zone last week. He was twitching and convulsing on the field, yet re-entered play the ensuing drive, images that have brought the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of the NFL/NFLPA concussion protocol back to the forefront.