THE RUNDOWN
Redemption Tour continues: David Johnson will be tested against the Ravens
Sep 15, 2020, 9:49 am
Photo via: The Houston Texans.
Building Block: How David Johnson's performance was a silver lining for the Texans
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans stood on the 19-yard line on 2nd-and-1 when Deshaun Watson completed an inside handoff to running back David Johnson. Offensive tackles Zach Fulton and Tytus Howard opened a right-side gap that led to a 19-yard touchdown run for the one-time pro-bowler (2016).
An energetic Johnson celebrated with Kenny Stills and the rest of his new teammates. His first touchdown of the season put the Texans ahead 7-0 over the Kansas City Chiefs late in the first quarter.
The first stop on the Johnson Redemption Tour ended with a total of 109 yards — 77 yards coming on the ground for 11 carries in his Texans debut — but it wasn't enough. Houston would find themselves on the wrong side of a scoreboard that read 34-20 inside Arrowhead Stadium late Thursday night.
Johnson's first game was not perfect nor an unforgettable performance. But it severed as a building block in a game that featured Houston's ineptitude to stop Chiefs' rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and the lack of production coming from their receiving corps. It's the foundation of what will be an integral part of the Texans' offensive schemes this season.
"I felt great being out there, and our line did a great job blocking for me," Johnson said in a post-practice interview via Zoom on Monday. "I think to myself I still had a couple more yards I left on the field and I've just got to improve on that aspect. And then just in the passing game, a couple routes I wish I could've got back where Deshaun [Watson] was looking for me and I just ran the wrong route. So, continue to correct those mistakes and building from that."
It is no secret that the Texans will rely heavily upon their running game in 2020. Houston ran the ball 22 times against the Chiefs, in comparison to the 20 passing plays called. The former Arizona Cardinal contributed for 50 percent of the Texans running plays, with Watson (27 yards on six carries) and Duke Johnson (14 yards on five carries) splitting the latter.
This trio of runners will usually lead the Texans in rushing yards over the next 15 weeks, with The Johnson Brothers leading the way. However, what's supposed to be a two-man tandem may end up featuring David as a solo act coming out of the backfield this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
In hindsight, it may seem like the Texans will struggle to run the ball against Baltimore. In 2019, the Ravens only gave up a total of 1,494 rushing yards (93.4 YDS) — finishing the year with the fifth-best defense at stopping the run. But their defensive performance could be misleading when breaking down their opponents from the previous season.
Bill O'Brien on RB David Johnson: "He's a good player. He's big. He's strong. He's a great guy. Awesome guy to coac… https://t.co/VCDrXVDbkH— Coty M. Davis (@Coty M. Davis) 1600144162.0
Out of the 18 games — including the playoffs — the Ravens only played against two premiere running backs and came up short in each contest.
Nick Chubb recorded 165 yards and three touchdowns, as the Browns handed Baltimore their worst defeat of the regular season in a 40-25 loss on their home field. Despite being favorites to represent the AFC in Miami this past February, the Ravens' postseason run ended earlier than expected in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. Derrick Henry's stat line in the AFC Division Round victory: 195 yards (6.5 AVG) on just 30 carries.
Albeit they came out on the winning side this time around, the Ravens gave up 138 yards on the ground in their Week 1 victory over Cleveland on Sunday. Chubb and his new backfield mate Kareem Hunt registered a combined 111 rushing yards on eight carries.
"I think the league definitely front-loaded the schedules and we have a pretty tough schedule," Johnson said. "Going against the defending champions and then against the Ravens whose always been up there with Lamar (Jackson) in the playoffs and stuff. I think it's going to be a good measurement for our team. "The last game was my first real game, no preseason, so I still have a lot to improve on."
Houston only experienced a small dose of what a rejuvenated Johnson can bring to the gridiron. According to Johnson himself, there is a lot he can build on heading into his second game with the Texans with more responsibility than in his debut.
Duke sustained an ankle sprain during the second half of Houston's season opener and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien on Monday. After sitting out of practice, Duke is unlikely to play Sunday in their home opener against the Ravens.
O'Brien says he "feels good about their depth" in an event Duke is not available. Although true with the talents of Buddy Howell and Scottie Phillips, Duke's potential absence will open the door for David to receive more touches heading into Week 2 — as the Johnson Redemption Tour makes its next stop inside NRG Stadium in Houston.
Coty M. Davis is a reporter for ESPN 97.5 Houston/SportsMap covering the Houston Texans. He is also the co-host of Locked On Texans, apart of the Locked On Podcast Network. Follow Coty on Twitter @CotyDavis_24.
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After falling in the divisional round of the playoffs for the second straight season, quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans believe they’re “really close” to taking the next step and making their first AFC championship game.
The question is what they’ll need to do to get to that level.
For Stroud it will be leaning on a mindset he’s had since his days at Ohio State.
“From Day 1 of the offseason program there has to be a standard set, and that standard has to be … I’m not going to be the one to mess this thing up. Like I’m going to be the one to make this team win the game,” he said. “If that’s Week 1 all the way to the AFC championship. That standard from training camp has to be the standard. I feel like that’s what it needs to be for us to get over that hump.”
The Texans lost 23-14 to the Chiefs on Saturday, their sixth loss in the divisional round and second at Kansas City.
Coach DeMeco Ryans, who has had an 11-8 record in both of his first two years in Houston, said eliminating mistakes should be his team's No. 1 goal.
“The teams that are still standing are teams that don’t shoot themselves in the foot,” he said. “They put themselves in good positions to play complementary football and they do it well. That’s why you’re at the end. So, if we want to be there, we just got to do our jobs and do it on a consistent basis.”
Stroud threw for 245 yards but was hurried and harassed all day in a game where he was sacked eight times. Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 55-yard field-goal attempt, an extra point and had another field-goal attempt blocked with less than two minutes left, which would have kept Houston’s comeback hopes alive by making it a one-possession game.
The Texans won the AFC South for a second straight season and soundly beat the Chargers at home to advance to play the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
Defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who has paired with Stroud to help turn around this franchise over the past two seasons, believes Houston has the pieces in place to contend for a title despite another early exit.
“We’re right there,” he said. “I don’t care what nobody says, this is a fantastic team. We’ve got our quarterback. We’ve got everything we need. We’ve just got to keep stacking and keep persevering.”
Dell and Diggs
The Texans could need to add a receiver this offseason with Stefon Diggs becoming an unrestricted free agent and Tank Dell recovering from another serious leg injury.
Diggs had 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games this season after a blockbuster trade from Buffalo before a season-ending knee injury.
Stroud has said he’d like to have Diggs back next season, but it’s too early to tell if the Texans will pursue re-signing the 31-year-old.
Dell faces a long recovery after tearing his ACL and dislocating his knee in a loss to Kansas City in December. This injury comes after Dell fractured his fibula in Week 13 against the Broncos in the 2023 season.
Dell was Houston's second-leading receiver behind Nico Collins with 667 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Ryans was asked if Dell's most recent injury could keep him out next season.
“We will continue to assess Tank and see where he ends up,” Ryans said. “It is too early right now to put a timeline on it. We will just give him time to heal and progress, see how the rehab goes.”
Secondary success
Houston’s secondary was a strength of the team this season with the stellar performance of Derek Stingley and the emergence of rookies Calen Bullock and Kamari Lassiter.
Stingley, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, shook off two injury-filled seasons to earn first-team AP All-Pro honors. The cornerback ranked second in the NFL in the regular season with 18 passes defensed and grabbed two interceptions in Houston’s wild-card playoff win.
Lassiter, a second-round pick from Georgia, started 14 games and had three interceptions in the regular season and had another pick against the Chargers. Bullock, taken in the third round from Southern California, also had five interceptions in the regular season to tie Stingley for the team lead.
“We’ve got one of the best secondaries in this league and a very young and talented secondary also,” Bullock said. “So, it’s pretty scary for what we’ve got in the future, especially with the plays we made this year.”
Offensive line woes
The Texans will look to improve their offensive line this offseason after they allowed 54 sacks in the regular season and 12 more in the postseason.
“In the playoffs, you’ve got to win your one-on-one battles. That’s what the game always comes down to,” Ryans said. “You have to have some pride in who you’re blocking, to get it done and give the quarterback a chance to throw the football.”