AFC South: Johnson comes through in the clutch for Texans
Sports Network | October 14, 2008
(Sports Network) - Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson had a costly fumble during this past Sunday's game versus the Miami Dolphins and just wanted another chance to redeem himself.
With less than one minute to play in the game, Johnson got that chance and capitalized by making a highlight-reel catch on 4th-and-10 at the Miami 41- yard line. Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell was draped over the All-Pro wideout, who had fumbled the ball after a 17-yard reception at the Miami seven-yard line with 55 seconds to go in the third quarter.
"I was just like, 'Man, give me a chance.' I just wanted to make a play to redeem myself from the fumble earlier," Johnson said after the game. "To be honest, I didn't even know what down it was."
Whatever down it was, Johnson's acrobatic catch helped set up Matt Schaub's game-winning three-yard touchdown run on another fourth-down play with three seconds left. Schaub scored on a quarterback keeper after throwing three incomplete passes in the end zone.
Johnson finished with a career-high 178 yards and a score on 10 receptions. He also went over 400 career catches on the afternoon, and his 178 yards are the most by an NFL wide receiver this season. He eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards for the second straight game and third time this season, and is starting to heat up at the right time.
It also helps that Johnson's quarterback seems to be back to his old form, as Schaub passed for 379 yards with a touchdown pass to his favorite target, although he threw two interceptions.
Schaub was coming off a viral infection and did not play the week before, when Houston blew a 17-point lead against the AFC South-rival Indianapolis Colts. Sunday's game wasn't any easier, even though the Texans compiled a franchise- record 485 net yards of offense, because they turned the ball over four times.
Houston improved to 1-4 on the season and still sits last in the division standings. Head coach Gary Kubiak knows this team has a long way to go, but also sees the potential.
"We're a 1-4 team and we're battling for our lives," Kubiak said. "We're making a great deal of mistakes as a team, but we're doing some unbelievable things. If we can just figure out a way, from a maturity standpoint, to protect the ball better, do some smarter things in some tougher situations, I think we have a chance to be a dang-good football team."
Protecting the football is an obvious ingredient for winning, and that has kept the Texans from having either two or three wins on the year. Kubiak also has to deal with many young players, and a few may indeed have some maturing to do.
Rookie running back Steve Slaton, however, has been playing like a seasoned vet and has recorded no less than 10 carries a game this season. He had 58 yards on 15 attempts on Sunday and kept the Miami defense on its toes.
Slaton and the Texans have two more home games this month and will try to ride the momentum.
NOTES: Texans wide receiver Jacoby Jones scored his first career touchdown on a 70-yard punt return in the second quarter...The game-winning march was the second of Schaub's career. His first also came against the Dolphins in a 22-19 win at Reliant Stadium last season...Standout defensive end Mario Williams finished with a pair of sacks for the second straight game and has six on the season. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans ended with only four tackles in Sunday's win, while wide receiver Kevin Walter chipped in 98 yards on four receptions. Walter had a 30-yard catch before Schaub's touchdown run in the waning seconds...Tight end Owen Daniels hauled in four passes for 70 yards...Defensive back Dunta Robinson is expected to be activated off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list this week. The former first-round pick has not played since tearing his knee and hamstring last November. Kubiak said Robinson's reps will be monitored before he gets back into the rotation full- time.
INJURIES: There were no key injuries suffered by the Texans in Sunday's win. Robinson is the biggest headliner on the injury front.
WEEK 7: Houston will prepare for the winless Detroit Lions (0-5) this weekend at Reliant Stadium, which has had no reported problems since Hurricane Ike ravaged the facility's state of the art retractable roof last month. The Texans are a much better team than the Lions, but must not look past Detroit's 0-5 record. The Lions are coming off a 12-10 loss to Minnesota and won the only meeting in this series by a 28-16 score on September 19, 2004.
JAGS' ALL-AROUND EFFORT PAYS OFF IN DENVER
There are certain instances during a season when a team just clicks and begins to make a run for the playoffs. The Jacksonville Jaguars can only hope Sunday's 24-17 win on the road over the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos will produce such results.
Jacksonville forced three turnovers on defense and rode the strong legs of running back Maurice Jones-Drew en route to its third win in four weeks following an 0-2 start to the season. It's not the type of start head coach Jack Del Rio wanted, but he knows the season is still early.
"I'm not going to get overly dramatic," Del Rio said. "There have been other games we needed to win. They're all important. You know I believe that. We started in a little bit of a hole to start the season. We've fought our way back twice. We got our record even with a lot of football ahead of us."
The win could be a possible AFC Wild-card tiebreaker down the road, since the Jaguars had previously lost three games to conference foes. Jacksonville doesn't play an NFC opponent until November 9 at Detroit.
Jones-Drew may also see a lot of football's his way after backfield mate Fred Taylor went down with a head injury on Sunday. Taylor absorbed a big hit during the first quarter and fumbled the football. He never returned to the game, and Jones-Drew took over with 125 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. It's nothing new for the young back out of UCLA, since Jones-Drew was drafted to one day take over for the veteran Taylor.
Jones-Drew is no stranger to carrying the load for the Jags, who played their sixth consecutive game decided by seven points or less.
Quarterback David Garrard improved to 22-14 as a starter after completing 25 of his 34 pass attempts for 276 yards and no interceptions, a touchdown and a 107.0 rating. The efficient signal-caller connected with eight different receivers on Sunday and has thrown a TD pass in 10 of the last 12 games for the run-friendly Jaguars. He will get a chance to rest his body for possibly more solid performances to come, with a bye week on the horizon before a showdown with the Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
The Jags received some medical news on two players on Monday. Wide receiver Mike Walker was hospitalized Saturday because of an infection in the joint surrounding his right knee. The second-year pro, who has 12 catches for 161 yards this season, suffered a sprained knee on October 5 versus Pittsburgh and missed practice all last week. Offensive lineman David Collier, who was shot multiple times in September and left paralyzed from the waist down, was released from the hospital this week and will resume his recovery at an undisclosed location, because the assailant who shot him remains at large.
Collier, who has no memory of the shooting, sustained 14 gunshot wounds to his back, left groin, left leg and right buttock. A bullet severed his spinal cord and his left leg had to be amputated because of blood clots.
First-year Jaguar receivers Troy Williamson and Jerry Porter are still trying to find their niche with the team. With Walker out and wide receiver Matt Jones facing a possible suspension due to an offseason drug arrest, Williamson and Porter are expected to be more involved with the offense. Porter is recovering from offseason hamstring surgery and has one catch for six yards in 2008.
NOTES: Garrard's 25 completions were the second-most of his career, while the 276 passing yards were the third-best of his NFL tenure...Jones-Drew hit the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time this season and seventh time in his career...Cornerbacks Drayton Florence and Rashean Mathis both recovered fumbles and safety Gerald Sensabaugh posted an interception in Sunday's win. Sensabaugh now has four career interceptions...Jones has a team-high 30 receptions for 338 yards through six games, including 69 yards on seven catches on Sunday...Defensive tackle Rob Meier was inactive on Sunday because of a knee injury, missing his first game since December 5, 2004 at Pittsburgh.
INJURIES: Taylor's head injury left Jones-Drew in charge of the running game. It is unknown how long Taylor will be out, but at least the team has the upcoming bye week to rest. Safety Reggie Nelson missed his third straight game with a bruised knee and return man Brian Witherspoon sat out the Denver game with a bruised thigh. Nelson, Witherspoon, Meier, center Brad Meester and safety Chris Naeole should all be ready to go after the break.
WEEK 7: Jacksonville will rest its wounds over the next few weeks before returning to the gridiron on October 26 versus Cleveland. The Jaguars are 8-2 all-time against the Browns.
ARE THE HIGH-POWERED COLTS BACK?
The Indianapolis Colts didn't have to rally in the final five minutes to pull out a win this week. Instead, they used the entire game to hand Baltimore a 31-3 pounding this past Sunday for their first win at brand new Lucas Oil Stadium.
In its previous two wins this season, Indianapolis wasn't displaying the type of offense that catapulted the team to the top ranks of the NFL the last few seasons. It entered this weekend's tilt with the Ravens with an uncharacteristic 2-2 record and was coming off a 31-27 victory over the AFC South-rival Houston Texans in which the Colts overcame a 17-point deficit.
For the first time in three games, Peyton Manning didn't throw an interception and finished with his highest passer rating of the year at 134.7. The eight- time Pro Bowl pick completed 19 of his 28 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of scoring strikes to his old buddy Marvin Harrison. Manning played arguably his best game of the season against a very tough Baltimore defense ranked No. 1 across the board.
The strong message sent by the Colts lifted them to their first home win since December of the 2007 campaign. Manning appears to be back at full strength following offseason knee surgery.
After scoring no more than 24 points in any of their first four games of the season, the Colts gained 334 yards and scored a season-high four touchdowns.
"It was good to see us really play from the opening whistle," head coach Tony Dungy said. "It's just been a long time, but that's the way we can play when we're on top of things. It was good for our young guys to see how we can play when we are on top of things."
The Colts were on top of their game, jumping out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter and a 24-0 advantage at halftime. Harrison appeared healthy and fast, managing 82 yards and a pair of scores on just three receptions for his first multi-touchdown game since the 2006 season. He even sped by Ravens All- Pro cornerback Chris McAlister for a 67-yard touchdown early in the game. Fellow wideout Reggie Wayne continued to contribute on a weekly basis, registering a game-high 118 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.
Indianapolis (3-2) racked up 258 yards through the air against the league's top pass defense to pull within two games of AFC South-leading Tennessee (5-0), which was idle Sunday. Jacksonville is third with a 3-3 record.
Baltimore did hold the Indy ground attack to 76 yards and took advantage of the absence of Colts starting running Joseph Addai, who left the game with a hamstring injury and finished with three yards on two carries. Backup Dominic Rhodes was thrust back into the spotlight and carried the ball 25 times for 73 yards and a score against a Ravens defense rated No. 1 against the run.
The five-time defending AFC South champions will monitor Addai's status throughout the week. Also, Colts rookie running back Mike Hart exited the win with a knee injury.
Indy's defense came into Sunday's tilt with Baltimore rated 32nd against the run, while the Ravens sported the fourth-best ground game. However, the stop unit limited the Ravens to 51 yards rushing and sacked rookie quarterback Joe Flacco five times, including three from defensive end Robert Mathis. Defensive tackle Raheem Brock added the other sack for the Colts.
If the Colts can put together an effort like this every week, their chances of reaching another Super Bowl would greatly increase. To be realistic, it was just one fantastic game and the Colts can only prove naysayers wrong by duplicating the success on a weekly basis. It was nice to see Manning, one of main faces of the NFL, succeed and erase a few subpar weeks with his performance. The Colts will only go as far as the right arm of their quarterback can take them.
NOTES: According to Dungy, the team is expected to sign a running back this week with Addai and Hart injured. The team could possibly sign rookie Chad Simpson from the practice squad, while second-year pro Clifton Dawson is another option..Defensive backs Tim Jennings, Melvin Bullitt and Antoine Bethea each recorded an interception, while linebacker Freddy Keiaho had a pair of fumble recoveries...The Colts also needed three tries to win their first game at the RCA Dome, a place they had called home since the 1980's...The Colts had allowed an average of 188.5 per game rushing in their first four games and had not given up less than 156 rushing yards in a game prior to Sunday...Harrison now owns 125 career touchdowns and moved into a tie with Walter Payton for 10th place on the NFL's all-time list.
INJURIES: Addai and Hart both left Sunday's win with injuries and their status for the upcoming week is unknown. Addai has 216 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. Jennings started at cornerback in place of fourth-year veteran Kelvin Hayden, who was inactive after suffering a knee injury against the Texans last week.
WEEK 7: The Colts will hit the road for two straight games, starting with a matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Indianapolis is 2-0 as the visitor this season, with wins at Minnesota and Houston. Indy has won four of the last six matchups with the Packers.
UNBEATEN TITANS TRY TO AVOID LETDOWN AFTER BYE
The Tennessee Titans are the only unbeaten team remaining in the NFL. With that being said, Sunday's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on the road at Arrowhead Stadium can be labeled as a "trap" game for the 5-0 Titans.
The Chiefs are just 1-4 and last in the AFC West, and most likely can't wait for Tennessee to touch down in the Kansas City area. Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher is aware Kansas City is also coming off its bye week and had plenty of time to study the Titans, while possibly adding a few wrinkles to the game plan. Titans All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth put it best when he noted that the Titans know not to overlook anybody in this league, citing Miami's big wins over New England and San Diego this year.
"You've got to stay focused because these guys get paid just like we do," said Haynesworth, who leads the team with five sacks.
Haynesworth and the Titans have currently won eight straight regular-season games dating back to last year and are trying to extend the franchise's best start to a season in the process. Kansas City is no slouch despite its 1-4 mark and was able to easily handle the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos earlier in the year.
The Titans, though, will try their best to avoid a letdown as they sit alone atop the AFC South standings with 3-2 Indianapolis and 3-3 Jacksonville right behind. Tennessee has reached the top thanks to a stingy defense that leads the NFL in turnovers and has yielded a league-low 56 points all season. Fisher also boasts one of the league's best running back tandems in LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson, who is second in the AFC with 381 rushing yards. White has a team-high five rushing touchdowns this season.
Tennessee's ground attack has opened a few doors for veteran quarterback Kerry Collins, who has filled in admirably for the injured Vince Young and will remain the starter as long as the team keeps winning. That's bad news for Young, who's already healed physically and ready to get another crack at his job. Young is not only recovering from an injured knee, but is also working his way back from a mental breakdown. Until then, he will be the backup.
Collins had a subpar game in a 13-10 win over Baltimore in Week 5, throwing for 163 yards with a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. But in the end, the veteran earned the much-needed victory and solidified his job status for another week.
Meanwhile, Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch injured his groin against the Ravens and has had more than enough time to rest. Defensive tackle Tony Brown had his foot stepped on during the win over the Ravens and needed a walking boot afterwards to prevent further damage.
NOTES: Titans star cornerback Cortland Finnegan shares the NFL lead of four interceptions with teammate and safety Michael Griffin...Haynesworth has five sacks so far in 2008 after posting a career-high six last year...Fisher is tied with Jim Mora (125 career wins) for 24th place in NFL history in career wins by a head coach...Collins' regular season record as a starting quarterback improved to 71-82 with the Baltimore victory.
INJURIES: Titans wide receiver Justin Gage missed the Baltimore win with a knee injury and is expected to return against Kansas City. Vanden Bosch and Brown should be able to return as well for Tennessee.
WEEK 7: Tennessee will be aiming to pounce on the Chiefs early and often Sunday at a hostile Arrowhead Stadium, especially since Kansas City is 32nd against the rush. White and Chris Johnson will be unleashed right off the bat, while Collins will try to pick apart KC's 14th-rated pass defense. The Titans will also try to keep the Chiefs' abysmal pass attack in check.
