The Texans practiced Monday night inside the Methodist Training Center. After, head coach Gary Kubiak and wide receiver Andre Johnson answered questions from the media. The following is a transcript of their respective interviews.
Head Coach Gary Kubiak(on the disciplinary action brought against WR Andre Johnson by the league office today) "Honestly, I didn't know anything about it until five minutes before I came over here. It's over and we need to move forward. I was not surprised, speaking from (WR) Andre's (Johnson) perspective. I know there were some concerns that he would be suspended. I didn't think that would happen. The league does a great job evaluating every situation and Andre's reputation as a person and a player speaks for himself. We got to move forward."
(on how important it is not to have WR Andre Johnson suspended) "It's pretty important. You all know what he means to this team. We focused on the game today. It was about the game we played yesterday and the good things that went on and we got a big challenge on our hands here real quick. It's easy for us to move on and that's what we are doing as a team."
(on if practice was held tonight because of the short week) "No, this was planned all along. Basically, we've got three days of work to do from a practice standpoint in a day in a half. We're just trying to get ahead mentally. We won't get much out of them physically this week. Just getting them ready to play and be fresh enough to go Thursday."
(on the challenge that Eagles QB Michael Vick offers) "Just making all the plays off schedule is the biggest thing. When things don't happen in rhythm, he becomes such a weapon. We got our hands full, but we played better defensively the last few weeks. This will be the biggest challenge thus far. We need to handle that challenge as a team, not just one group. We need to handle it as a football team."
(on how important it was for him not losing his players' confidence during the four-game losing streak) "I don't worry about that. These guys battle their tails off. We went through a tough stretch. If you're in this league you're probably going to have some tough stretches. It's how you come out of them. Sometimes those stretches can break some people, but I know it's not going to break this group. They keep battling and good things happened to them yesterday. We got some breaks and had some things go our way. We just need to keep going."
(on how hard it is to prepare on such a quick turnaround) "The toughest thing is physical. It'll be Thursday before they're bodies come back around. I just got to make sure mentally we know what Philly's doing and we get it fresh as we can and go play. The other challenge is playing there. It's a very tough place to play. I would say probably 90 percent of our football team has never been there. I just reminded them how tough it is."
(on if there will be enough healthy receivers on the roster for this week's game) "(WR) Kevin (Walter) got nicked up and he didn't do anything tonight, but I'll think he be out here doing something tomorrow. I think he'll respond. (WR) David (Anderson) will probably be a game-time decision."
(on WR David Anderson's injury) "David's got a hamstring. He tweaked it Thursday."
(on LB Brian Cushing's performance against the Titans) "He played really well, but we played really well on defense as a group. The great thing is they were out there for only 44 plays. That's a nice problem to have and we got great effort from everybody. Since (LB) Brian (Cushing) has gone back to his old spot, he's played pretty darn good and keeps getting better."
(on what did the Chicago Bears do to defeat the Eagles) "They made big plays. (Bears QB Jay) Cutler only completed 14 passes and four of them were for touchdowns. They got the most of what they were doing. They made big plays and then they found the big turnover in the red zone ended up being a big difference in the game. They are playing very well defensively right now."
(on if he called the commissioner's office to lobby on behalf of WR Andre Johnson) "No, because I had confidence that (WR) Andre (Johnson) could stand on his own. His reputation as a person and a player would stand on its own."
(on if the secondary had a little bounce their step today) "Yeah, that always helps when you get a few interceptions and get some confidence from that standpoint, but they've been working hard to get to that point. They played pretty darn good in New York, except for a minute. We're doing some better thing and the ball bounced our way yesterday."
(on if he will play CB Jason Allen more) "Yeah, he'll continue to play more. He's got a lot of confidence. He's played in some big games and had some success in just getting comfortable with us. He'll continue to be part of the rotation. I think (CB) Kareem (Jackson) has played better since we've taken the whole game off of his plate. So we'll continue in that direction."
WR Andre Johnson(on the news that he would not be suspended for his altercation with Titans CB Cortland Finnegan) "It's definitely not something I'm proud of. Like I said, before, yesterday, after the game, it's not something I'm proud about. I have to suffer the consequences for my actions. That's pretty much it, in a nutshell."
(on if he is happy to not be suspended) "I'm definitely happy with that. That's something I have been thinking about ever since the incident happened. I'm happy that I'm not suspended, but at the same time, I'm not happy about my actions."
(on if he thought there was a chance he would be suspended and if he was surprised to not be suspended) "For my actions, yeah, I knew it was possible (to be suspended). Just from looking at people here, people talk about it, they said they thought I would be suspended. I'm just glad that I'm not. I'm glad that I'm able to be on the field Thursday night and help the football team win a game."
(on if his reputation as a low-key player and a class act played into not being suspended) "I think it may have played a part on the fine and things like that. I think it may have even kept them from suspending me. I think it had to do with it."
(on if he will appeal the fine) "Probably not. Just looking at it, I mean, what can I say? There's not really anything I can say, (that) I can tell them. I don't think I will."
(on if he's tired of seeing the incident with Titans CB Cortland Finnegan replayed on television) "To be honest, I try not to watch TV. I received so many text messages and phone calls and things like that, but I'm done with that. I'm tired of talking about it. My biggest thing now is trying to help this team win a football game on Thursday night."
(on if he received support from the messages he's been receiving) "Just people telling me that there is only so much you can take, but at the same time, you can't let people get the best of you. Don't lose your cool. It's been all positive stuff. Nothing negative to where people were saying they were embarrassed about what I did. I think people understood what really happened."
(on what his day was like, waiting to hear how he'd be disciplined for his altercation with Titans CB Cortland Finnegan) "I was just sitting around. I talked to my agent this morning. He felt that I wouldn't be suspended. He felt that I would have a large fine but he didn't think that I would be suspended. So him telling me that kind of made me upbeat a little bit. That was pretty much it. I just talked to him and pretty much just sat around and waited to see what was going to happen."
(on if he was surprised that WR Cortland Finnegan wasn't suspended following their altercation on Sunday) "I'm not worried about him. I could care less."
(on the quick turnaround in preparing for Thursday night's game at Philadelphia) "It's going to be a big test for us, big game on the road for us. Not much time to let your body heal, but at the same time, we all have to rally together to go out and get the job done."
(on if he talked to anybody from the NFL Commissioner's Office today) "I called Mr. Goodell this morning. He wasn't in his office, so I didn't get a chance to talk to him. He called me back right before we went out to practice. I still didn't get a chance to him. I checked my phone and he left me a message."
(on if he left the Commissioner Goodell a message and what it was) "I talked to his secretary. I didn't get a voicemail or anything. I talked to his secretary and just left my phone number for him to call me back."
(on if he was surprised that CB Cortland Finnegan said on his radio show Andre Johnson should have been suspended and he should not have been fined) "He can say what he wants to say. I'm not going to keep talking about him. He's just looking for attention, so I'm not worried about that."
(on if his mother has talked to him about his incident with Titans CB Cortland Finnegan) "I'd rather not tell you what my mama said."
(on his phone message from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell) "He just told me to give him a call back because when I called him earlier, he was in a meeting. I'll give him a call back."
(on the applause for him last night at the Houston Rockets game) "It was crazy. I couldn't do anything but laugh. I had a big smile on my face; (FB) Vonta (Leach) was throwing punches. It was crazy, but at the same time it just shows that the fans were still behind me and they were still showing me support, so I really appreciated it."
(on what his mother said to him) "I can't tell you that."
(on whether or not an NFL representative told him he'd be suspended if there was another altercation) "That won't happen again, not by me. I will never do that again so I'm not really worried about that happening again."
(on why he called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell) "Just to communicate with him and let him know my side. That's my plan and that's pretty much it."
(on if he will talk to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell tomorrow) "I'll give him a call back and whenever we get a chance to speak, we'll talk."
