Why Return of Andre Johnson Makes Houston AFC Contenders

When the Houston Texans lost receiver Andre Johnson to a hamstring injury in Week 4, it was a huge blow to their offense. The Texans lost the next two games before finally rebounding in Week 7 with a 41-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.

While Johnson won't play this weekend, head coach Gary Kubiak thinks he'll be ready to play soon. When their star receiver returns, the Texans should be considered very dangerous and among the top teams in the AFC.

Houston is currently 4-3, and has suffered through more major injuries than any team in football so far this year. In addition to losing Johnson for several weeks, running back Arian Foster was limited for the first few weeks of the season and defensive stud Mario Williams is out for the year. Going through that kind of adversity will only help the team in the long run.

Johnson adds so much to the Texans' attack that it is a wonder they were able to score 41 points last week without him. He gives quarterback Matt Schaub a reliable set of hands and a speedy deep threat who can stretch the field. The five-time Pro Bowler had 25 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns in the four games he played in before being injured.

Now that Foster is back, Houston has a much more balanced attack. The NFL's leading rusher from 2010 already has 420 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries in five games played. He has also added 305 more yards and another score on 21 receptions. Foster's versatility has helped offset some of the damage done by Johnson's injury.

Meanwhile, the team's defense is much improved over the horrendous unit the Texans fielded last season. Houston currently ranks eighth in the NFL in total defense, allowing just 302.9 yards per game.

The fact that the Houston has been able to stay above water with Johnson sidelined points to good things when the team's stud receiver returns. The Texans will be very dangerous once they are back at full strength offensively.