Round Two
Andre Johnson laughs at Texans doubters, dismisses talk of another Patriots rompin playoffs
Andre Johnson laughs at any fools who dismiss the Houston Texans chances againstthe Patriots in the playoffs.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
Gary Kubiak isn't exactly acting terrified either.Photo by Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
As Gary Kubiak walked through the Houston Texans media room on the way to the podium Wednesday, he scouted out something different.
"No popcorn today?" Kubiak asked, referring to the snack provided for a growing media brigade during the buildup to the Texans' opening playoff game last week.
The Texans coach may be focused on the details, but he's hardly coming across as overly stressed as a rematch with a New England Patriots team that waxed Houston by 28 points a month ago looms. And Kubiak's players seem to be taking the same approach toward a second round road playoff game that few expect they can win.
"A lot of people think we don't have a chance. I just laugh at them."
It's hard to imagine Kubiak being completely thrilled with tailback Arian Foster's creative use of a Twitter avatar (Foster temporarily changed his to the first three paragraphs of Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy's complete dismissal of any chance of a Texans win). But then again, it's hard to keep up with everything No. 23 — one of the most fascinating figures in all of sports — is doing.
"He's got a lot going on doesn't he?" Kubiak chuckled when asked about an unrelated comment Foster made on his own radio show. ". . . I just want him to play halfback."
See, Kubiak isn't stressing about that either.
Wide receiver Andre Johnson is taking a similar approach to the forecasts of another impending Texans embarrassment.
"A lot of people think we don't have a chance," Johnson said. "I just laugh at them.
". . . I don't get caught up in what people say."
Johnson has some recent experience with prognosticators of course.
"People said I was old (during the first part of this season), but I finished second in the league in yards," he said.
Not that he got caught up in that. Just like he won't get caught up in the fact Vegas installed the Patriots as nine and a half point favorites — over a 12-4 team. He won't use that as motivation.
Sure, he won't.
