Matt Schaub says loss of WR Andre Johnson affects playcalling
When Houston's injury report came out Wednesday afternoon, All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson, who sat out last Sunday with a high ankle sprain, was listed as not participating in practice, and backup wideout Jacoby Jones (calf) also did not practice. If Johnson can't go Sunday against the Giants, the Texans could become far more one-dimensional in terms of relying on Arian Foster, the top rusher in the NFL.
"Those are guys that are playmakers for us," Schaub said of Johnson and Jones. "Obviously, Andre has been doing it a long time. He demands a lot of attention when he's on the field. We can't change everything we do because one or two guys aren't in there. We've got to plug the next guy in and go play. It changes out thoughts a little bit in our playcalling if he's not out there with us, but at the same time, we have to execute and make plays."
After watching the Giants pass rush produce 10 sacks against the Bears last Sunday, Schaub said the Texans must have their pass-protection schemes in order. But he won't be taking as many deep drops as Bears QB Jay Cutler, who was a sitting duck in the pocket.
"The Bears' scheme is a little different than ours and what they do with the dropback stuff and how they handle certain protections," said Schaub, who wasn't sacked in a win over the Raiders. "We made a conscious effort to change up some of the things we do and concentrate on getting the ball out. The Raiders have a pretty good front as well. So, it was about getting the ball out and moving the pocket a little bit."
