Andre Johnson, Finnegan vow more football than fighting in rematch

Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan says fans should get their popcorn ready for his rematch with Texans receiver Andre Johnson, but not because he’s out for revenge.

“Retaliation is for the birds,” Finnegan said. “Regardless if I’m right or wrong, I’m going to apologize to get this off my heart.”

After fighting three weeks ago in the Texans’ 20-0 victory at Reliant Stadium, the NFL fined both players $25,000. Johnson has expressed deep regret over the situation and said he’ll observe better self-control even if Finnegan doesn’t follow through on his pregame apology.

“I know what type of player he is — he’s a feisty guy who plays very hard,” Johnson said. “If you look at other games he’s been in, he gets guys out of their games, and last time he got me out of mine.

“That’s just something that you, as a player, have to control, and I’ll do that on Sunday.”

Johnson and Finnegan have developed a bitter rivalry that has escalated over the years, but Finnegan carries the reputation of being an instigator. Texans tight end Owen Daniels called him “annoying,” and right tackle Eric Winston said he wouldn’t want him on his team because he’s a “dirty player.”

The league has fined Finnegan four times this season for separate altercations. But the veteran cornerback speculated Wednesday that he might be victim to a changing culture and how the NFL deals with physical players.

“I don’t want to cross any lines here,” Finnegan said. “I know the NFL is changing and I have to adapt. But as far as playing the way I play, I’m going to continue to do that.”

Regardless of how Finnegan sees his unorthodox style, Titans coach Jeff Fisher defended the way he plays.

“In my opinion, I don’t think Cort did anything to deserve to be suspended or ejected from that game,” Fisher said. “He plays with a short memory and he fights, scratches and claws every down. For the most part, he plays within the rules.”

But members of the Texans secondary disagree. Cornerback Glover Quin said Finnegan’s style reflects desperation and a means of survival against talented receivers. In seven games against Finnegan over the last four seasons, Johnson has dominated, averaging 90.7 yards per game, catching 45 passes and scoring six touchdowns.

“He’s such a great receiver,” Finnegan said. “I’m just thrilled for the opportunity to get to match up against him again.”

Finnegan likes to jam receivers at the line, and he precipitated the brawl by hitting Johnson in the face instead of the chest. Though Finnegan said he would try not to do it on Sunday, Johnson is prepared to shrug it off this time around.

“That’s part of the game, so if he does it, he does it,” Johnson said. “I’m just going to play football.”

Texans coach Gary Kubiak went a step further by saying that the physical play is what makes both Johnson and Finnegan Pro Bowlers, as they represented the AFC together two seasons ago. Despite the fact that their rematch has been a hot topic since they were escorted off the field three weeks ago, Johnson is ready to put the drama behind him. And even if Finnegan employs his nagging playing style, Johnson vows to keep his cool.

“I’ll probably just laugh it off,” Johnson said. “I’m not going out on the field trying to start a fight or anything like that.”

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(chron.com)