Texans’ Johnson Out Of Sunday’s Game At Tampa Bay

Added on Nov 11, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NFL

For the sixth straight game the Houston Texans will be without star wide receiver Andre Johnson. Johnson has been officially ruled out of the team’s Sunday game against the Buccaneers at Tampa Bay. Johnson was hurt in the second quarter of the Texans’ October 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and hasn’t played since.

Texans’ coach Gary Kubiak suggests that Johnson will likely be back after the team’s bye week:

“We should come out of the bye knowing that he’s ready to go, and be a part of our team as we go into those last six weeks. He’s doing really good, but the smart thing to do is give him this extra time to rest and continue to have some guys step up and take his place.”

The official word is that Johnson is ‘close to returning’ but ‘not quite there yet’. Johnson tried to put that quizzical diagnosis into some sort of context:

“I still could go out and play football. We just felt the best thing was just to wait and go through the off week.”

Johnson says he’s past the point where he’s worried about reaggrevating the injury:

“I’m feeling good now, I’m excited about where I’m at. Before, when I was running, I always felt that pulling feeling. I haven’t been feeling it. But the crazy thing is, you get so used to feeling something when you’re running, you get to feeling certain things and you’re kind of waiting for it to happen again.

“That’s the point where I’m at right now. I think I’ll be over that. I went and ran again (Friday) and I didn’t feel anything.”

Johnson gave props to his teammates for keeping the Texans’ competitive in his absence:

“I know a lot of people didn’t think we would be in the position we’re in when I went down, because of things that have happened in the past. We have a good team, a lot of weapons and a lot of guys who can make plays.

“Me now, I have to play catch-up. I have to come back and pick up the pace and get to the level where they’re playing.”

The Texans are a -3 point NFL betting favorite against Tampa Bay with the total set at 47′.