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Andre Johnson Article

Runner

Runner

Hubcap Diamond
Staff member
I'm surprised I haven't seen this posted here. I may have missed it.

It sounds as if Dre sees the same lack of progress as some of the posters here. He doesn't seem at all satisfied about where the team is at.

We needed one more play to be made to win that game (against Jacksonville),” Johnson said, “but we just didn’t make that play. So, that’s pretty much been the story week in and week out, not making enough plays or not executing on offense.
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6035422.html
 
I understand his frustration, I really do. But if he catches those two TD passes, heck if he catches one of the two TD passes, we win that game. We played very solid against Jax, if we play like that the rest of the year, the wins are going to come.

If we play like we did against Pitt and Tenn, we can hang it up, the frustration level is a lot lower now than what it is going to be later. By fans and players. There is still time to have a decent possibly good season. Kubiak will need to make better decisions along with the team playing like they did last week for that to happen.
 
There is frustration from losing a game and a different kind of frustration when the person doesn't see the light at the end of tunnel.

Fans may be satisfied with an "I knew it would happen" in 2014 or whenever the Texans "figure this thing out", but players don't have that long.

Yes, he has made some bad individual plays, but most of his good play has been wasted in inept team efforts. If I was Andre I'd wonder what it was like to play on, if not a contender, at least a competent team.
 
Runner said:
There is frustration from losing a game and a different kind of frustration when the person doesn't see the light at the end of tunnel.

Fans may be satisfied with an 'I knew it would happen' in 2014 or whenever the Texans 'figure this thing out', but players don't have that long.

Yes, he has made some bad individual plays, but most of his good play has been wasted in inept team efforts. If I was Andre I'd wonder what it was like to play on, if not a contender, at least a competent team.
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Good points....he's not getting any younger and you know he wants to have a productive career.
 
I am surprised this hasn't been talked about today either. The guy sounds burned out on losing and wasting his talent.
 
In the last game, a ball bounced off his facemask.

I don't think I have ever seen Andre this much out of it.
 
I kind of have to disagree with you guys. Yes, Andre should be rewarded and given slack because of his past performances, but he has no right to complain about where we are this season. We have tried consistently to get him the ball, and he has dropped passes. Clutch passes. Touchdown passes.

I love Andre as much as the next guy, but he has got to take responsibility for his mistakes. Perhaps part of what isn't working right now is him. I understand Schaub looked horrible in the Tennessee and Pittsburgh games. He looked lost and for the first time I was calling for Sage. He looked a lot like an old #8.

But we have to fault AJ for dropping two touchdown passes in the Tennessee game. They were in his hands, and he let them fall out of his hands. In the game, he had something like 5 total dropped passes.

Also, you have to wonder how his knee is doing. I am sure it is better but when you miss as much time as he missed, you do start to lose a step. I wholeheartedly believe Andre will get it back. I truly believe this is going to be his breakout game this season. But I don't believe that AJ deserves as much blame as anyone for at least one and possibly two of our losses.
 
There was a particular season when Carr was throwing those "quick outs," as I insist on calling them (even if that does really mean a long bomb or something), to AJ as designed plays and expecting him to run over DBs and get yardage after catching the ball for no or extremely little gain. It seemed to me that was working fairly well, UNTIL AJ GOT TIRED OF BEING USED LIKE A RENTED MULE. Eventually, he got tired of taking all those unnecessary hits and started going down with the first hit, albeit he'd still get 2 or 3 yards. I'm reminded of when Tony Dorsett looked at Earl Campbell's physical condition and asked, "Did you ever think about just going down with the first hit?" Of course, Campbell wouldn't even consider it, but we couldn't have blamed him if he had done it some. They basically had to stop using that play.

Well, now AJ is not just tired of being used and risking wear down--he's tired of waisting his career on a perpetual loser. Some players don't want to get stuck on a new franchise and others don't like getting stuck on a rebuilding team. NOBODY with the heart of a champion wants to play on a perpetually new/rebuilding team. Only players that want that are your Ahman Greens, Anthony Weavers, Chris Browns (spelling?--not the kicker), and Ron Daynes. Aging Veterans with very little left, if anything, just looking to get that last contract.

PS-At least AJ has great job security if he stays. He could still be here when he's 48 years old, lost about 10 steps, and can't catch a nerf ball from an 8 year old.
 
If the Texans loose this week I am really going to start wondering if they are going to win a game this season. No bashing please I am just really staring to wonder about this team.
 
HJam72 said:
There was a particular season when Carr was throwing those "quick outs," as I insist on calling them (even if that does really mean a long bomb or something), to AJ as designed plays and expecting him to run over DBs and get yardage after catching the ball for no or extremely little gain. It seemed to me that was working fairly well, UNTIL AJ GOT TIRED OF BEING USED LIKE A RENTED MULE. Eventually, he got tired of taking all those unnecessary hits and started going down with the first hit, albeit he'd still get 2 or 3 yards. I'm reminded of when Tony Dorsett looked at Earl Campbell's physical condition and asked, "Did you ever think about just going down with the first hit?" Of course, Campbell wouldn't even consider it, but we couldn't have blamed him if he had done it some. They basically had to stop using that play.

Well, now AJ is not just tired of being used and risking wear down--he's tired of waisting his career on a perpetual loser. Some players don't want to get stuck on a new franchise and others don't like getting stuck on a rebuilding team. NOBODY with the heart of a champion wants to play on a perpetually new/rebuilding team. Only players that want that are your Ahman Greens, Anthony Weavers, Chris Browns (spelling?--not the kicker), and Ron Daynes. Aging Veterans with very little left, if anything, just looking to get that last contract.

PS-At least AJ has great job security if he stays. He could still be here when he's 48 years old, lost about 10 steps, and can't catch a nerf ball from an 8 year old.
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I totally get what you are saying and agree with you on most all of this. The only thing I disagree with is that our team has gotten better. We are still a few players away from being competitive with top teams like Pittsburgh (when they are healthy). But we should have won the Tennessee game and really should have won the Jacksonville game but couldn't stop them on 4th down (I want Dick Smith gone!). But AJ is to blame, big time, for the Tennessee game. Call me crazy but I really believe Kevin Walter catches those two tds.

I know Andre is the best receiver on our team. He is a great guy and a fierce competitor. He has the skills to be one of the best receivers in the NFL. But he has looked like crap this year! If our team looks like crap, one guy that has to own up is AJ.
 
gary said:
If the Texans loose this week I am really going to start wondering if they are going to win a game this season. No bashing please I am just really staring to wonder about this team.
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I wouldn't apply that to this week since we play the Colts though I do get what you are saying. I do think we can beat them, just not that all is lost if we don't. Many of us belived 0-3 or 1-3 was a definite possible start to the season, giving the schedule. And that was before the screwed up bye week scenario.

If we can play consistently like we did against Jax we will be able to beat Jax at home, possibly Tenn at home, Baltimore, Cincy, Detroit, Miami, Oakland, Chicago, Minnesota. All of those games are winnable, if and that's a big IF we play the way we did against Jax. The defense will have to stop scrambling QB's on 4th and 8 though when the game is on the line. JMHO
 
gary said:
If the Texans loose this week I am really going to start wondering if they are going to win a game this season. No bashing please I am just really staring to wonder about this team.
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I think there is too much doom and gloom going on. If you really look at it, we should be 2-1. There have been some stupid mistakes, dropped passes, etc. but the team is going to get passed it. We need this home game and I predict a W. No flaming dude.
 
What's scaring me is that the two stupidest mistakes were arguably the HC's fault. The word "dufus" comes to mind.
 
Runner said:
There is frustration from losing a game and a different kind of frustration when the person doesn't see the light at the end of tunnel.

Fans may be satisfied with an 'I knew it would happen' in 2014 or whenever the Texans 'figure this thing out', but players don't have that long.

Yes, he has made some bad individual plays, but most of his good play has been wasted in inept team efforts. If I was Andre I'd wonder what it was like to play on, if not a contender, at least a competent team.
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Andre not too long ago chose to re-sign...

If he was so concerned about the team not having a forseeable winning future then he made a terrible mistake...

I seriously doubt that he's thinking what you're implying....

Of course the losing is wearing on him...doesn't mean he thinks the team is doomed for failure because of ineptness...
 
gary said:
If the Texans loose this week I am really going to start wondering if they are going to win a game this season. No bashing please I am just really staring to wonder about this team.
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I think we all are Gary. Considering we're 1-11 all-time against the Colts, I'm having a hard time finding ways to talk myself into thinking we're going to win.

If we do lose, which is very likely, I wouldn't give up quite yet, Gary. There would still be time to make up some ground. Maybe not playoff worthy, but decent enough to get us by for yet another year.
 
gary said:
They aren't able to stop the run.
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Are you talking about us or the Colts?

Cause we have to worry about Peyton more than anything, if we can get pressure and hit him early and often he can be thrown out of rythm.

With Sanders out for the Colts, I am loving the Slaton/Colts D matchup, and if Schaub plays as well as he did last week he will light them up. Another important matchup is going to be Freeney/Duane Brown on passing situations.
 
Andre did take the responsibility for his drops. That doesn't change much in the big picture though. He is a very good player with a history of winning that is stuck on a perpetual wait-until-next-year team.

He's not a big trash talker - can you imagine the ribbing he takes during his off-season workouts with other NFL players from the U? What did he tell them last spring - 'I'm a non-loser!'?
 
gary said:
They aren't able to stop the run.
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i disagree... il think we've done a good job of slowing down two good rushing attacks in ten and jags. granted garrard and collins (lol) have burnt us some but when its a straight line up and run, we've been decent

i dont have the stats but id guess the last 2 week have been allowing 3.5-4 ypc to the rb's
 
Hardcore Texan said:
Are you talking about us or the Colts?

Cause we have to worry about Peyton more than anything, if we can get pressure and hit him early and often he can be thrown out of rythm.

With Sanders out for the Colts, I am loving the Slaton/Colts D matchup, and if Schaub plays as well as he did last week he will light them up. Another important matchup is going to be Freeney/Duane Brown on passing situations.
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I was talking about us.
 
Polo said:
Andre not too long ago chose to re-sign...
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Yes he did, and that's on him. He did it when it looked like Kubiak was the man to turn things around.

There is some possibility that over time such opinions may change, especially if one is open to new data changing beliefs and conclusions.
 
our biggest issues are the entire defense's lack of talent sans four guys one of which doesn't even play until week 9, oh and the defesnsive coordinators inability to coordinate a defense. the head coach didn't get a replay on the reception out of bounds so it's resonable to not throw the flag but he still should have when the offense was rushing to snap the ball. the other mistakes are consistant and need to be corrected.

the play of johnson in the tacks game was a concern but his over all play is hardly an issue yet. no doubt the players (just like us) are feeling the heartbreak of realizing that we're not as good as we thought we were in the preseason and not really understanding what we have to do to turn it around.

i wouldn't be suprised if our fragile egos get totally revived with a string of wins and we start playing closer to our potential.

i don't think we are as bad as we're playing right now. certainly, andre johnson isn't as bad as he played two weeks ago.

i expect us to play poorly again sunday as we are hopeless and scared. 3-4 coming out of the home stretch is the best we can hope for right now.
 
btw

jags rb's averaged 3.3 ypc... 17 att for 57 yards
titans rb's averaged 3.75 ypc... 33 att for 124 yds

thats really good.. even better than i thought
 
Maddict5 said:
i disagree... il think we've done a good job of slowing down two good rushing attacks in ten and jags. granted garrard and collins (lol) have burnt us some but when its a straight line up and run, we've been decent

i dont have the stats but id guess the last 2 week have been allowing 3.5-4 ypc to the rb's
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Not good enough.
 
if you think it the rbs that have been beating us the last two games, you've been watching different games than i have
 
Runner said:
Yes he did,and that's on him. He did it when it looked like Kubiak was the man to turn things around.

There is some possibility that over time such opinions may change, especially if one is open to new data changing beliefs and conclusions.
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True...

Just to throw an alternative viewpoint though: Maybe Dre is frustrated because he knows that they have the ability to win these games and he senses they are close...

I'm pretty sure knowing that you have the ability to do something and feeling like you are going to succeed yet coming up short can be pretty frustrating too...I'm pretty sure that has a lot of fans frustrated too...

I seriously doubt that Andre feels like they just can't get it done.
 
HoustonFrog said:
I am surprised this hasn't been talked about today either. The guy sounds burned out on losing and wasting his talent.
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yeah, if us fans are burned out on it, you can only imagine what is going through his head.

But, that doesn't mean that he's quitting or even burned out. He's just tired of losing, and just by saying something, he could be inspiring the team in his own way.

I'm not giving up on this season just yet. While I'm not one to drink koolaide, it's only three games into our schedule. This team won three out of four to close out the last season, so we have to be positive and show up as fans this week to give them a moral boost and any homefield advantage we can offer. It sounds crazy optimistic, but if we can pull out a win this Sunday, then we could get on a roll in October.

Hopefully the team responds to AJ's concerns and shows up on Sunday.
 
gary said:
They aren't able to stop the run.
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We're giving up 3.6 ypc against "real" running backs. That's not bad. EDIT: THis is for the past two games. I didn't include the Steeler game which was like a whole different season ago. My bad.

The problem is that we're giving up lots of yards to QB's and on trick plays. I refuse to include the yardage on that fake punt against the run defense.

The Jag's leading rushers were Garrard and Montell Owens who both got 41 yards rushing. Neither Taylor nor Jones-Drew got more than 33 yards.

Our defense was concentrating on stopping Taylor and Jones-Drew and they did a surprisingly good job of that.
 
Polo said:
Andre not too long ago chose to re-sign...

If he was so concerned about the team not having a forseeable winning future then he made a terrible mistake...

I seriously doubt that he's thinking what you're implying....

Of course the losing is wearing on him...doesn't mean he thinks the team is doomed for failure because of ineptness...
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I agree. I think this is mostly directed toward the fans and reporters talking about losing and urgency. I think AJ is just telling everyone that they are not only preaching to the choir -- they're preaching to the preacher.
 
jdog said:
I agree. I think this is mostly directed toward the fans and reporters talking about losing and urgency. I think AJ is just telling everyone that they are not only preaching to the choir -- they're preaching to the preacher.
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I seriously doubt it was directed at fans and reporters. Dre knows the problem is with the players and coaches.
 
Maddict5 said:
... and peyton WONT be running lol
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At least we hope so...

* I can just see Manning taking off down the field, making a jump cut that fakes Greenwood out of his jock, then putting a spin move on a Demps.

I imagine, though, that the inertia from that huge head of his would knock him over if he tried a spin move.
 
Eh. It is a Richard Justice article. Which means you need to immediately go back to the presser or see the video to really have a sense of the quotes in context. He sandwiches only a choice few quotes from the presser with his normal blurgh about the team.

The AP article that uses the some of the same quotes isn't so Debbie Downer. It emphasizes how effective the offense was even when AJ wasn't getting the catches.

Why write a freaking Andre Johnson article when the biggest problem of that game was not the passing? Because those were the quotes he had in front of him, I'm guessing.
 
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

RJ may not be much of a sports writer, and for all I know he may not be much of a person I'd like to be around. However, there are lots of people I don't think much of who are correct about things occaisionally.

I think he makes some good points in this article. I remember an article three years ago that he wrote that had some insight. Lightning has struck twice!

The players aren't little company-line machines and never will be despite the Texans best corporate efforts. It is a safe bet that not all of them see success right around the corner.

The good thing about RJ's non-popularity is that I'll b able to use this line from the article with my friends and they probably won't have seen it:

"If you listen to some of these coaches long enough, you'd think they were designing a nuclear reactor".
 
El Tejano said:
Winning cures all.
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And???

Outside of a couple of micro streaks, when have the Texans been winning? Projecting lots of wins at the start of a season or next year isn't the winning to which that bromide refers.
 
Runner said:
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

RJ may not be much of a sports writer, and for all I know he may not be much of a person I'd like to be around. However, there are lots of people I don't think much of who are correct about things occaisionally.

I think he makes some good points in this article. I remember an article three years ago that he wrote that had some insight. Lightning has struck twice!

The players aren't little company-line machines and never will be despite the Texans best corporate efforts. It is a safe bet that not all of them see success right around the corner.

The good thing about RJ's non-popularity is that I'll b able to use this line from the article with my friends and they probably won't have seen it:

"If you listen to some of these coaches long enough, you'd think they were designing a nuclear reactor".
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I just thought it was a lot of nothing in the article.

Yes, Andre Johnson is tired of losing.
Yes, Andre Johnson would like to catch more balls, but he is most concerned with winning.

Why is this news?
 
Justice took a couple of quotes from him that are on a HT.com video too. As most reporters do, he took the quotes and made them much bigger than what they sounded like in the video. I doubt Justice was even present during the interview. lol

http://www.houstontexans.com/index2.html

Oh yeah, Justice is an asshat
 
RJ is a Texan Hater...

He's trying to forecast doom and gloom by implying our best player wants to leave...


I don't see anything newsworthy here.
 
Trading AJ would bring us a lot of picks, and maybe a current player that could upgrade a spot on our team.

If we're doing so fantastically well, on offense, without "needing" AJ...then maybe AJ's most effective as a blockbuster trade that gives us more players.

He's tired of losing. And I still think he's dogging it a little bit, even if it's nothing more than subconscious behavior by AJ.

I don't think he wants to be here anymore. So...let's make a deal.

Look, guys, we can't horde a player forever. And I don't think this team implodes without him. Especially if he's begun to grow tired of our team's losing ways. It could get very ugly, very quickly.

I say we should deal him and get something in return while we have him under contract. He's easily the missing piece on someone's football team who can change games on every catch.

Of course, he's possibly the best player we have. And, a lot of us fans are hanging our hats on "Oh yeah, well we have ANDRE JOHNSON!" If dealing AJ makes AJ happy (for once in his NFL career) and it gives us a boost in players/draft picks, then it's not a bad deal IMO. I thought this team was needing better players, with more talent? Well, this would be a way to shore it up a little. What could an AJ trade gain us? 1st rounder, or what?

Curious to see what you think his value would be.
 
GP said:
And I still think he's dogging it a little bit, even if it's nothing more than subconscious behavior by AJ.
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I don't think he is "dogging" it. He may have some lingering effects from the injury, but "dogging" it implies a lack of heart, and AJ has heart.

The other teams are keying on AJ and he has not been able to take advantage of the limited opportunities thrown his way. Someone else needs to step up and make them pay for keying on AJ. That will open things up a bit, but they still will game plan around AJ since he is our best player.
 
Texans_Chick said:
Why is this news?
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Well, I don't know why it is 'news'.

However, I thought it was interesting in the context of my view of the Texans and Andre. Others commented on it from their perspectives of the Texans. A third group has commented on it from their perspectives of the writer.

And now we have a thread that discussed something I found interesting. :)
 
GP said:
Trading AJ would bring us a lot of picks, and maybe a current player that could upgrade a spot on our team.

If we're doing so fantastically well, on offense, without "needing" AJ...then maybe AJ's most effective as a blockbuster trade that gives us more players.

He's tired of losing. And I still think he's dogging it a little bit, even if it's nothing more than subconscious behavior by AJ.

I don't think he wants to be here anymore. So...let's make a deal.

Look, guys, we can't horde a player forever. And I don't think this team implodes without him. Especially if he's begun to grow tired of our team's losing ways. It could get very ugly, very quickly.

I say we should deal him and get something in return while we have him under contract. He's easily the missing piece on someone's football team who can change games on every catch.

Of course, he's possibly the best player we have. And, a lot of us fans are hanging our hats on "Oh yeah, well we have ANDRE JOHNSON!" If dealing AJ makes AJ happy (for once in his NFL career) and it gives us a boost in players/draft picks, then it's not a bad deal IMO. I thought this team was needing better players, with more talent? Well, this would be a way to shore it up a little. What could an AJ trade gain us? 1st rounder, or what?

Curious to see what you think his value would be.
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:goodpost:
 
GP said:
Trading AJ would bring us a lot of picks, and maybe a current player that could upgrade a spot on our team.

If we're doing so fantastically well, on offense, without "needing" AJ...then maybe AJ's most effective as a blockbuster trade that gives us more players.

He's tired of losing. And I still think he's dogging it a little bit, even if it's nothing more than subconscious behavior by AJ.

I don't think he wants to be here anymore. So...let's make a deal.

Look, guys, we can't horde a player forever. And I don't think this team implodes without him. Especially if he's begun to grow tired of our team's losing ways. It could get very ugly, very quickly.

I say we should deal him and get something in return while we have him under contract. He's easily the missing piece on someone's football team who can change games on every catch.

Of course, he's possibly the best player we have. And, a lot of us fans are hanging our hats on "Oh yeah, well we have ANDRE JOHNSON!" If dealing AJ makes AJ happy (for once in his NFL career) and it gives us a boost in players/draft picks, then it's not a bad deal IMO. I thought this team was needing better players, with more talent? Well, this would be a way to shore it up a little. What could an AJ trade gain us? 1st rounder, or what?

Curious to see what you think his value would be.
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I would trade him in a heartbeat. For fair value that is and I don't really know what that would be ? And how onerous is his contract, the terms and all, in the eyes of a prospector trade-partner ?
I don't really think he's got the intensity he use to have and I'm sure he'd like
to have a chance with a SB contender, maybe just any team that's a serious
playoff candidate ?
 
Big trades don't happen often in the NFL.

I think the remainder of any prorated signing bonus would immediately hit the Texans cap. If that is correct, I'd think it would be a deal breaker.
 
Runner said:
Big trades don't happen often in the NFL.

I think the remainder of any prorated signing bonus would immediately hit the Texans cap. If that is correct, I'd think it would be a deal breaker.
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Unless we were able to re-sign him to different terms BEFORE trading him?

What about doing that?

I bet Donovan McNabb would love to have a WR with T.O.'s skills but with AJ's mellow personality. And, IIRC, they have quite a bit of cap room. And don't they have a couple of DBs who are competing for the same starting spot? We could take one of those off their hands...

Couple it with a huge defense-tilted draft in rounds 1 and 2 in 2009, maybe make a push for a BONIFIED stud defensive player in free agency. And a new DC.
 
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