Andre Johnson Injury: Why Loss of WR Is Terrible for Arian Foster, Matt Schaub

Andre Johnson left Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers midway through the second quarter with a right hamstring injury. Johnson left the sideline to head to the locker room under his own power, but if he has suffered a significant injury, that could be horrible news for his Houston Texans.

It could be argued that Johnson is the Texans' most important player. He not only provides a reliable pair of hands for quarterback Matt Schaub, but he is also a receiver who can stretch the field. The Miami product almost single-handedly makes press coverage by opposing defensive backs impossible.

Therefore, the five-time Pro Bowler helps open up rushing lanes for Houston's running backs, most notably Arian Foster, but also Ben Tate when he does get carries.

If Johnson is out for a significant amount of time, the drop-off at wideout for the Texans is substantial. Entering Sunday's game, Johnson had 21 catches this season for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Tight ends Owen Daniels (nine catches) and James Casey (eight) occupy the next two spots on the team's receiving leaders list. Jacoby Jones has just seven catches this year, while Kevin Walter has only four. Those two would presumably step up into the No. 1 and No. 2 spots if Johnson is out.

As the Texans know—thanks to Foster's early-season hamstring issues—it could be a while before Johnson sees the field again. The fact that it was a non-contact injury could be even more troubling. Having seen replays, it looked pretty clear that he was in a decent amount of pain.

It is being deemed a "hamstring strain" at this point, but until Johnson gets an MRI, it is unlikely the team will know the real extent of the damage. If he is gone for an extended period of time, things could be dicey for the Texans offensively for a while.