Andre Johnson Injury: Why Strained Hamstring Would Be Best-Case Scenario

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson left Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with what is being deemed a strained right hamstring. If that's the case, the Texans are a very lucky team right now.

Johnson was running open in the flat when he suddenly fell to the ground without being touched. He was able to limp off the field under his own power and even went all the way back to the locker room without assistance. Most initially feared a knee injury, but those fears have now been silenced.

Until he gets an MRI (likely tomorrow) no one will know the true extent of the injury, but if it is indeed just a strained hamstring, that would definitely be the best-case scenario for Houston. While such an injury could result in Johnson missing a few weeks, any kind of tear in the muscle could mean a season-long absence, and if Johnson missed a significant chunk of time, the Texans might be doomed.

Houston's offense relies heavily on Johnson as not only its top receiving threat, but also as a guy who can stretch the field and keep defenses honest in coverage. The attention he garners not only opens up the middle of the field for tight ends James Casey and Owen Daniels, but also gives running back Arian Foster room to run the ball.

Johnson entered Sunday's matchup with the Steelers with 21 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Quarterback Matt Schaub had targeted the five-time Pro-Bowler 32 times, which is double the next closest target (Danies with 16). Houston's other receivers have only caught 12 passes combined this season, which shows the level of trust Schaub has in them versus how comfortable he is with Johnson.

Houston needs its top wideout in the lineup if it expects to do anything offensively. Without Johnson opponents will likely stack the line to stop Foster and force Schaub to beat them throwing to receivers who haven't proven themselves to be effective.

If Johnson's hamstring is just strained and he can be back soon, the Texans will have dodged a huge bullet.