How can you not love this guy? Dude is just amazing. Talked about at the 4:00min mark <iframe id="multimedia_player" name="multimedia_player" marginWidth="0" marginHeight="0" src="http://www.houstontexans.com/includes/iframes/multimedia_video.asp?mm_file_id=3382" frameBorder="0" width="366" height="278" scrolling="no"></iframe> Johnson has a Super dream for Texans By RICHARD JUSTICE Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Sept. 9, 2009, 11:02PM Even through the worst of times, Andre Johnson never let go of a dream. It's a dream that's pretty much the same every time. There's a packed house at Reliant Stadium and a loud, rowdy crowd and a football game that's really more than a football game. It's one of those magical times when a professional sports team captivates an entire city, when the Texans are playing a big, important game, a game that reminds us why we love this silly stuff so much. “I envision it all the time,” Johnson said. “I envision us winning a Super Bowl. I think it's not going to happen if you don't vision it. I think about it. I think about how the city would be. I think this city has been waiting on a winner for a long time. Even when I go to a Rockets game, all the fans are, ‘If you guys can just get to the playoffs.' “I listen to the fans. You can tell the die-hard Texans fans. You can hear it in their voice when they talk about us. It's definitely something I think about a lot.” There's a follow-up question that's tougher to ask, a question about all the losses he has been part of, about all the franchise's mistakes, about all the stuff that has made the Texans mostly irrelevant in their first seven years. Did Johnson ever wonder if he'd be one of those guys who had a great career playing for a franchise that never won a thing? “You know what, I've thought about it before,” he said. “It's not something I think about all the time. But I have thought about it. It happens. I talked to Zach Wiegert. He played in the league 11 years and never made it to the playoffs. I just can't see that happening to me.” Among best of the best Now the Texans are beginning a season when optimism is high, when they're a popular pick to win the AFC South or at least make their first playoff appearance. So as they prepare to open their eighth season against the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium, we gather around the locker of the best player the franchise has had and look for some context. From production on the field to citizenship off it, from work ethic to leadership to everything a professional athlete can be expected to deliver, Andre Johnson has established himself as the guy every future Texan will be measured against. For years, we were so focused on all the things the Texans didn't have that we didn't appreciate Johnson's greatness. Thanks to Gary Kubiak and Matt Schaub, the Texans now have an offense worthy of Johnson. He's 29 years old and about to begin his seventh NFL season. He's easily one of the NFL's top two or three receivers, the best of the best, coming off a season in which he led the league in catches (115) and yards (1,575). He's one of the cornerstones of an offense that could be as good as any in the NFL, an offense that's expected to lead. ‘Sky's the limit for us' But is he as optimistic as we are? “To be honest, I always feel like we have a chance to get into the playoffs,” Johnson said. “Do I feel more confident? Do I feel we really have the talent to get there now? Of course. I don't think we have any excuses. It's up to us to go out and do it. “I think the sky's the limit for us. It's just up to us to go out and perform the way we know how to perform. If we go out and do that, we'll be fine. I don't look at anything negative. I don't feel negative about anything coming into this game. I'm excited about it, and it starts on Sunday.” It might be impossible to overestimate the esteem in which he's held by his teammates and coaches. Yet he's a different kind of leader. He leads more by example than with words. But because Johnson doesn't say much, his words have a weight. There was a moment late last season when he stood up after a game and told his teammates how proud he was to be associated with them. “There were times I stood up in front of the team and said things,” he said. “If I feel something needs to be said, or if there's something on my heart, I'm going to tell them. I'm not a big rah-rah guy.” A work ethic to admire When his teammates talk about Johnson, they constantly return to a couple of things — his demeanor and his work ethic. “He doesn't say much,” Kubiak said, “but when he talks people listen.” What makes him special? “His work ethic,” Kubiak said. Is that right, Chester Pitts? “His commitment to excellence is unmatched by anyone I've ever known,” Pitts said. Johnson's body of work speaks for itself as he nears 500 receptions and 7,000 career yards. He has played in three Pro Bowls and has 25 career 100-yard games. He was one of the NFL's best-kept secrets for a long time, but now he's widely seen as a special player. About all he doesn't have is a playoff appearance, or even one of those really important late-season games. He only has his dreams. “It's something I want to happen here,” Johnson said. “I want this organization to win a Super Bowl, and I want to be part of that. It'll be real special for me, for the whole city.” http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/6611009.html
Andre Johnson is THE best wide receiver in the NFL. Only if he had a competent QB for an entire season he would be putting up ridiculous numbers.
He could have been a 100 TD receiver, if he had fallen into the right situation. Just a flat out amazing player.
An incredible talent, alas not the Red Zone threat like some of the greats. If I pick 1 WR right now to start my franchise with, its Larry Fitzgerald with Andre Johnson a close second, but it is hard to argue with the production AJ has put up with some truly terrible QB play as well as not a lot of offensive talent around him.
andre hasnt had the benefit of having a probowler starting on the other side of him. You swap andre and larry and Andre will put up just as good (if not better numbers)...i don't think you can say the same for Larry.
Andre Johnson is better than Larry F. simply because Andre has NEVER had any kind of help from either his QB OR his running mates at WR until the last two seasons. Larry has had Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin for the majority of his career. The numbers Andre puts up are just plain ridiculous when you take into account the kind of teams he was playing on for the first four years of his career.
I respectfully disagree. You honestly think Andre Johnson would put up better numbers with Boldin playing the other WR position? He put up the most yards of any WR last season. You think he'd put up 1600 yards this season if Boldin gets his? You're nuts if you do. I've seen Fitzgerald make too many catches while double-covered to subscribe to that theory. In fact I think its remarkable the numbers he puts up with Boldin playing alongside him. He's the best WR since Rice, and I think he's the most gifted receiver to ever play the game. He's the most consistent receiver in the league and his postseason run last year was the best postseason by a Wide Receiver in the history of the league. That game against the Eagles was legendary.
I think he has at least 40 games with Josh McCown and Matt Leinart, and those first few years when Warner stunk.
Uh-oh! *ducks and covers!!!* Having witnessed and asked questions in this conversation on multiple occasions, my undereducated pseudo-informed opinion is that Mr. Johnson will have to score touchdowns and break some big plays or else this observation is simply fair. I understand the argument that he had crap throwing the ball, and crap protecting the crap that was throwing the ball, and Captain Crap designing the crap that the crap on the field had to attempt to execute while throwing him the ball. (Got that?) But he is now in an offense that is highly regarded on a wide scale, has a good-to-really-good QB, nice running game, good O-line, and good complimenting parts. Dude is great right now. But to go to the next level, dude needs to score. Or else the arguments in his favor will still always be, "what if". Real numbers are always a stronger argument than "what if".
lol, this convo always ends up turning in this direction. I think Ive had this discussion with Ric maybe 17 times. But, I do see "the other side's" view...However, I think this is the year that AJ reels in some TDs and shows that he's got a complete game. Ric, my man, this is the season!!! I hope
sorry, guys - it was the 100 TDs comment that drew me back out, lol. i love, Love, LOVE andre johnson. i don't consider my opinion of him to be in any way a slight. if someone labeled earl campbell the greatest speed back in nfl history... i mean, i would argue that while maintaining the highest degree of respect for one of my few idols in life, you know? andre johnson simply isn't a gamebreaking touchdown machine. (imo) no harm no foul. you can be *great* and not be those things.
sorry... me again - forgot to add - 27 TDs but 32 fewer catches. at his pace, had fiztgerald caught as many balls as johnson (278), he projects out to 31 TDs, 10 more than johnson. that's a pretty significant difference - *especially* when you consider boldin, their #2 receiver, has 24 over the same time frame (but only 251 receptions, 27 less than johnson). how many more would fitzgerald have if he wasn't sharing the ball with such a competent teammate?
* questioning for learning's sake, not argument's sake * What is the difference in percentage of run plays versus pass plays employed in the red zone by Arizona and by Houston?
Do you think some of those catches are because he has such a competent teammate? And doesn't get double-teamed as often? Certainly not saying AJ gets double-teamed on every down, but certainly more than Fitzgerald.
