Andre Johnson would look great in a Dolphins uniform

Logical progression: A season in which the Dolphins have faced Reggie Wayne, Vincent Jackson, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Steve Smith now could come down to stopping Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Who else on the Texans can deal death to the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon? Houston's fumbling backs run as if they were carrying a greased pig through mud. They rank 31st in the league in yards per carry and are tied for last in the NFL in yards per game.

Behind Johnson among wide receivers, Kevin Walter, not exactly Lance Alworth, averages four catches per game and 11.7 yards per catch. Sunday's tight end worries ended eight weeks ago with Owen Daniels' season-ending injury.

There is some irony in the Dolphins trying to prevent Johnson from burning down their house Sunday: It would be the perfect place for Johnson to call home.

Oh sure, every team would love a guy who gets double-teamed from pregame stretch on and beats it for 20 catches for 389 yards, as Johnson has the past two games.

``Without question, I think, the best receiver in the league,'' Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell said. ``The guy does everything. He does the little things. He does things he might not want to do. He makes all the hard catches. The guy's getting doubled every game, but they find ways to get him the ball.''

The Dolphins, as has been said ad nauseum, lack a dynamic playmaker at wide receiver. Still, you have to go beyond quality to see why Johnson would be the perfect Dolphin (if he weren't signed with Houston through the 2014 season). Let's start with the next-obvious element . . .

• Johnson would be home. He didn't leave South Florida until Houston drafted him third overall in 2003 out of the University of Miami. And every college football coach not dressed in UM colors breathed a little easier that day.

``Miami had just graduated Reggie Wayne,'' said Dolphins defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, Syracuse's head coach from 1991-2004. ``I told our [defensive backs], `Don't worry, the guy who replaces him can't be as good as Reggie Wayne.' On the first two possessions, he scored on a post corner and a corner post. The cornerback came out and said, `Coach, I think this guy might be better.' ''

Johnson went to Miami High, but he is from the Carol City area.

``I could actually walk from my mom's old house to the stadium,'' Johnson said. ``I grew up right there. I always had dreams of playing in Land Shark Stadium.''

Despite being from the same region as Michael Irvin (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, old-school UM) and Chad Ochocinco, nee, Johnson (Miami Beach High, cheers for UM, old-school UM in spirit), Johnson refrains from putting much show in his boat. Which leads to . . .

• He has the perfect personality for this Dolphins regime. Under the Bill Parcells-Jeff Ireland-Tony Sparano ruling triumvirate, the Dolphins prefer consistently loud performances from consistently quiet men. In defending the Dolphins receivers, offensive coordinator Dan Henning is fond of saying how diva receivers can drain the energy from a team.

With cars and wideouts, high performance usually means high maintenance. Not so with Johnson.

When Johnson says publicly he would like the ball more, it is rare and comes off more as admission than demand. There is no record of Johnson engaging in any quality trash talk. In fact, the lack of yak and flamboyance keeps Johnson as under the radar as a wide receiver could be with his credentials.

``I think it is more of my family,'' said Johnson, explaining his personality. ``Just growing up in the house, if you were ever in my mom's house you would probably not even know if anyone was in there because there wasn't really much talking or anything going on unless we were talking amongst each other. My mom is the same way, my brother is the same way, so I think it is just a family thing. We don't really need much attention. A lot of people think that we don't talk, but I do talk. I am not just quiet like everyone thinks.''

• He will take a hit and deliver one, too. The Dolphins lords also want a physical team. Few wide receivers, maybe none with his speed, can claim to be as physical as Johnson, who is 6-3 and 223 pounds.

On a 17-yard touchdown catch against Arizona, Johnson made the grab at the Cardinals' 5-yard line. Linebacker Gerald Hayes went for a demolition-derby hit as Johnson landed. Hayes careened away to the ground. Johnson then blasted former UM teammate Antrel Rolle onto his back before carrying cornerback Bryant McFadden into the end zone.

• Johnson is loyal. He hasn't made noises about leaving, though Houston has had only one .500 season; he has never finished above third place in the AFC South; and he can't seem to catch a break with injuries.

``I have pretty much been through all the rough times with this organization, except for the first year,'' Johnson said. ``I knew it wasn't going to be easy when I got here. I never thought it would take seven seasons. It is a work in progress. That is what keeps me motivated because I want to do everything I can to help get this organization to its first playoff berth and first Super Bowl.''

So it is that the perfect Dolphin for the current era is a Texan.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(miamiherald.com)