On and off the field, when Johnson speaks, they listen

When the locker-room door closed, Andre Johnson did something he almost never does. He spoke up.

“When he speaks, everybody listens,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

This doesn’t happen very often. Andre Johnson is the guy everyone else in your office respects.

He’s the one who works hard, does what he’s told and keeps his mouth shut. He accepts blame and deflects credit.

If you were looking for the perfect wide receiver, if you wanted a blend of size, speed and strength, he’d be your prototype.

If you wanted a good teammate and a caring, humble man, he might also be your prototype.

The Texans have always known he is special, but as long as the team was terrible, he was going to be one of the NFL’s best-kept secrets. Now the Texans are good, and Johnson is showing the world he’s a dominant player.

The Texans won again Sunday, defeating Tennessee 13-12 at Reliant Stadium. That’s not a pretty score, and neither was the game.

Once upon a time, it was games like these the Texans couldn’t win. When the Titans turned it into a street fight, the Texans responded with some fight of their own.

They controlled the ball for 36 minutes and got a relentless defensive effort from Richard Smith’s group to make that 0-4 start a distant memory.

He’s Pro Bowl-bound
Johnson had a huge day, catching 11 balls for 207 yards and a touchdown. He leads the NFL with 102 catches and will be named to his third Pro Bowl this week.

On this day, he muscled balls away from defensive backs, caught slants across the middle and ran under lobs down the field.

Been there, done that. What some of his coaches and teammates may remember about this day is that Johnson felt compelled to speak after the game.

As the final seconds ticked off the game clock, he was a bundle of excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet one moment, slapping teammates the next.

After all the tough Sundays and all the painful losses, he finally was living the NFL life he hoped to lead.

That’s exactly the message he delivered after the game. That one was simpler.

He wanted his teammates to know that they’d created something special, that there was a bond and that a foundation for long-term success had been laid.

He began by telling of a Thanksgiving chapel service in which several of his teammates were asked to discuss what they were thankful for.

“It was kind of shocking because, other than kids or families, the thing (they were thankful for) was this team,” Johnson said. “I was just telling everybody about it.”

Reaping the fruits
Yes, character counts. Successful teams are made of a complex fabric that includes talent and character. It’s also teammates caring about teammates.

Kubiak and Rick Smith have created a mix that’s working. Perhaps the most impressive thing the Texans have done this season is stick together through the tough times.

If you think character is overblown, if you’re fine with a team composed of thugs, you’re wrong.

The Texans are winning because of Steve Slaton and Matt Schaub, because of Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans. They’re winning because all those solid draft classes are paying off.

They’re also winning because they’ve got a great approach, because they’ve got people willing to put the team in front of individual accomplishments. These aren’t the Dallas Cowboys.

“Guys have given it up for their team,” Johnson said. “It has been shown over the past month. It’s not just one guy. It’s about everybody.”

He appreciates this success more than some of his teammates because he was here for the worst of times. That goes for Chester Pitts, Dunta Robinson and Kris Brown, too.

There were times earlier this season when the losing finally seemed to be getting to Johnson. He was almost distraught after dropping two touchdown passes in Nashville.

He caught just three balls the next week in Jacksonville, and for the first time, he came close to complaining about the way he was being used.

“There was a lot of frustration at the beginning of the season,” he said. “You guys know that. I’ve put that all behind me. I said to myself before that Colts game I’ll do whatever I have to do to help this team win. I was going to put everything that happened in the past behind me, all the frustration and things like that.”

‘Crazy’ work ethic
He caught nine balls for 131 yards the next week against the Colts and has been unstoppable since. He has caught at least 10 passes in five of the last 10 games. He has four 100-yard games and a 200-yarder.

“He’s the best high-caliber player in this league,” Texans cornerback Fred Bennett said. “There’s really not much you can do about it. I go against the guy every day in practice. His work ethic is just crazy.”

Johnson would get a lot more attention if he ran his mouth more, if he questioned his quarterback, if he called attention to himself.

Those things would also diminish his greatness and the regard in which he’s held in his locker room.

“It’s been a long road,” he said. “I didn’t think it would take this long.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves. I think right now we’re starting to find our niche.”

(chron.com)