Andre Johnson Shin Injury: Possible to Miss Wk 4 vs. Seattle (1 Viewer)

[pghrob]

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2013/09/texans-report-andre-johnson-frustrated-after-early-exit-due-to-another-injury/

Texans report: Andre Johnson frustrated after early exit due to (another) injury

Posted on September 22, 2013 at 8:46 pm by Chron Sports in Andre Johnson, Ed Reed, Houston Texans

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Andre Johnson was hobbling around on the field before coaches decided he was too injured to continue playing. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

By Brian T. Smith, John McClain and Jon Marks

Texans receiver Andre Johnson didnt want to leave his team in Week 2, but a concussion forced him off the field.

A shin bruise got the best of Johnson on Sunday during the Texans 30-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Johnson, 32, again didnt want to leave the contest. But a hobbling receiver who was limping after the game realized the Texans were better off without him.

Very, very frustrating, said Johnson, who caught five passes for 36 yards. You kind of just go back and forth with the coaches, trying to tell them youre OK, hoping that it feels better. I know that if I wouldve went out there, I couldnt play the way that Im capable of playing. And you see the film, Im out there limping around.

Johnson said it was too soon to determine whether hell be available in Week 4 against Seattle at Reliant Stadium. X-rays taken at halftime were negative.

I watched him the first play, coach Gary Kubiak said. We threw the ball the first play, and I wanted to see him run. I did not think he could run the way he needs to to play, so we took him out.

 

[bucsbaby]

Unfortunately, against Sea, I think owners (I'm one) have to sit him for another option if they have one next week. I'll be sitting him for Orange Julius in my W/T flex spot.

 

[Hedgehog]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

 

[Shutout]

Coming off the back of the "concussion" that knocked him out of week 2, this is tough for AJ owners, especially after you see a guy like Shady have a similar issue and then come back after his negative x-rays and then rock it out.

I think (and would border on saying "I know" but I don't work for the team so I can't say that) that the Texans are playing conservative all the way around with their players this year because they got to the end last year and ran out of gas and that great record imploded on them. They are simply playing everything safe and trying to manage it better this year. But the problem is, they aren't experienced in doing that and their players aren't used to going half speed without the reps and their record isn't supporting it.

I think one of two things will happen this Sunday: Either the Texans will come out like their hair is on fire this weekend and really re-establish themselves against a very good Seahawks team OR they will look like they did against the Ravens and then that will force them to say "hey, we gotta go all out because saving these guys for later doesn't matter if we can't get to later".

THis game coming up feels very much to me like the Steelers game 2 seasons ago. THe Steelers were good. THe Texans were thought to be an ascending team but everyone said "you can't run on the Steelers, this is where the Texans get challenged and will have to prove if they are legit, etc" and they responded that day. I think this is another one of those games. All the ills of their world can be cured with a strong game this Sunday. All thefalling sky pieces will be validated with an ugly loss. So, I think this is one of those games where its all-out if they have it in them.

 

[Shutout]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

 

[FF Ninja]

If the x-rays were negative then I don't see why he wouldn't be playing against Seattle. I feared that there might've been a crack, but since there's not, I feel pretty good that he'll be in the lineup and near 100% after some rest.

 

[JMJ]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

You (not "you") can't have it both ways. It has been said in the Hopkins thread that we need to temper expectations for Hopkins because a lot of his production has come "after Andre has left the past two games."

So we have to temper expectations because he is performing well when Johnson is NOT there, but we also have to downgrade him because Johnson might not be there? Which is it?

I personally feel this bumps DeAndre, not hurts him ... but the Seattle defense might be reason alone to go with another option whether AJ plays or not.

 

[GregR]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

I'd go the opposite and say it helps Hopkins. I think he'll get a big bump in targets. Might not do as much with each catch, but extra opportunities tend to win out in the long run, I think.

 

[ebsteelers]

i'd be more worried about sherm the germ sticking to him all day then his shin..

 

[bucsbaby]

If Andre is out, Hopkins will get Sherman. Lights out.

Edit: If Andre is in at less than 100%, Andre will draw Sherman. Lights out.

 

[Shutout]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

I'd go the opposite and say it helps Hopkins. I think he'll get a big bump in targets. Might not do as much with each catch, but extra opportunities tend to win out in the long run, I think.

I like Hopkins much better on opposing team's 2nd best cover guys than their first, to say it simply. Lots to like with him but he can't be the focal point yet.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Hopkins benefits from AJ on the field however it would be interesting for owners to see what he does if he is the focus of the defense in the passing game.

 

[Shutout]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

You (not "you") can't have it both ways. It has been said in the Hopkins thread that we need to temper expectations for Hopkins because a lot of his production has come "after Andre has left the past two games."

So we have to temper expectations because he is performing well when Johnson is NOT there, but we also have to downgrade him because Johnson might not be there? Which is it?

I personally feel this bumps DeAndre, not hurts him ... but the Seattle defense might be reason alone to go with another option whether AJ plays or not.

Different situation in the scrambling of that last game with the Titans vs. prospecting if this is the guy that teams plan for and AJ is out of the entire game. I simply like Hopkins much better as a surprise "in the game change" or against opposing team's 2nd best defenders than I do going into a game with a week of knowing he draws the #1 cover guy.

 

[KellysHeroes]

If the x-rays were negative then I don't see why he wouldn't be playing against Seattle. I feared that there might've been a crack, but since there's not, I feel pretty good that he'll be in the lineup and near 100% after some rest.

I'll never question a football player's pain tolerance, especially AJ's... McCoy needed to sit out a whole Q or so and he may have gotten some "treatment" during half time.

This will pretty much force me to play a WR like Hill over him.

 

[avoiding injuries]

For a guy who benefits from Andre being on the field, he sure has benefited when Andre was off of it.

 

[shadyridr]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

You (not "you") can't have it both ways. It has been said in the Hopkins thread that we need to temper expectations for Hopkins because a lot of his production has come "after Andre has left the past two games."

So we have to temper expectations because he is performing well when Johnson is NOT there, but we also have to downgrade him because Johnson might not be there? Which is it?

I personally feel this bumps DeAndre, not hurts him ... but the Seattle defense might be reason alone to go with another option whether AJ plays or not.

Against most teams youre right. Against Sherman, youre wrong

 

[JMJ]

Does this help Hopkins as the main target or hurt him as AJ takes the focus off him?

Hurts. Hopkins is a good promising talent but so much is built around what AJ is. I just don't think you will see, unless its necessary, that the Texans would come anywhere close to featuring Hopkins as they do AJ if there is an injury. They will lean on the running game and the TEs more unless they are forced to start chucking it and, in that case, I don't like that because I don't like Shaub in the "heavy vertical game".

You (not "you") can't have it both ways. It has been said in the Hopkins thread that we need to temper expectations for Hopkins because a lot of his production has come "after Andre has left the past two games."

So we have to temper expectations because he is performing well when Johnson is NOT there, but we also have to downgrade him because Johnson might not be there? Which is it?

I personally feel this bumps DeAndre, not hurts him ... but the Seattle defense might be reason alone to go with another option whether AJ plays or not.

Against most teams youre right. Against Sherman, youre wrong

You must have missed when I said the following. Last I remember, Sherman is part of the Seattle defense ...

"but the Seattle defense might be reason alone to go with another option whether AJ plays or not."

 

[GregR]

I agree Sherman is a big factor. I still think I'd go with the more opportunities though. Schaub will force feed it his way if he's in trouble, Sherman or not.

 

[mad sweeney]

If Andre is out, Hopkins will get Sherman. Lights out.

Edit: If Andre is in at less than 100%, Andre will draw Sherman. Lights out.

Against the Niners last week was the first time Sherman has stuck with a receiver all game. Usually it's just him on one side, Browner on the other. With Browner out and Thurmond not being as big, Sherman asked for Boldin responsibility. Not sure that if Browner is healthy that they wouldn't revert to their normal setup. Andre's a big man, but with both their big CBs out there, I doubt that Sherman will be on anyone all game, just his side of the field.