Johnson responds to pressure from Kubiak

Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn’t shy away from putting a little pressure on Andre Johnson earlier this season.

After Johnson failed to make a play on two potential touchdown passes thrown his way against Tennessee on Sept. 21, Kubiak had a talk with his star receiver.

“My message was, ‘You have to make those plays for this team. That’s how much they count on you,’ ” Kubiak said. “Is that asking a lot of a kid? You bet it is.”

Johnson hardly shied from the challenge, and less than a month later he is on the best three-game stretch of his career. In the Texans’ 28-21 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Reliant Stadium, Johnson finished with 11 catches for 141 yards — his third-consecutive 100-yard game.

Leading receiver
Johnson has 450 receiving yards in the past three games, and is a key reason the team has won two straight after starting 0-4.

“He is the heart and soul of this place,” Kubiak said. “He’s a special player in the NFL. When he plays at that level, he raises everybody else.”

Despite his strong play, Johnson said he is trying to catch up after missing so much of the offseason and preseason because of knee surgery.

Johnson said he and quarterback Matt Schaub are trying to make up for all the time they missed, and that they aren’t as comfortable on the field as they were a year ago.

In the first two games of 2007 prior to Johnson’s knee injury, Johnson had 262 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

“I guess when you have a nine-catch game then a 10-catch game and then an 11-catch game, you would think there is some type of rhythm there,” Johnson said. “But I still don’t think there’s the same type of connection that we had when I was here and Matt first got here.”

Clearly, some of that connection is returning, though. In the first three games of the season, Johnson had just 179 receiving yards and no touchdowns. He had 178 receiving yards against the Miami Dolphins alone last week, and he has two touchdowns over the past three games.

Kubiak said they have expanded Johnson’s role because of his talent and his high level of confidence. The Texans move him around constantly to try to keep defenses from taking him out of games.

Having fun at work
And even with the added responsibility and expectations, Johnson said he’s tried to stay relaxed and have fun on the field.

It’s a combination that is proving difficult for opponents to stop.

“I’ve been given a lot of opportunities in these past three games,” Johnson said. “I’m just out there playing and having fun.

“I can say that the first three games, there was a lot of frustration and things like that. I told myself right before the Indy game, no matter what happens, I’m going to put everything behind me.

“I’ve just started to go back out there and have fun, and when I get opportunities just make the play on it. That’s been my attitude since (Indy), and it’s working out well for me.”

(chron.com)