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Turnovers overshadow Johnson's career day

             This past week, the Texans diligently prepared to face one of
             the most explosive teams in the NFL. Unfortunately, no amount 

of preparation can make a team immune to the turnover bug.

johnson_catch_chiefs092103.jpg


Despite rookie wide receiver Andre Johnson's career-high 102 yards receiving on seven catches (14.6 avg.) and the first two touchdowns of his young NFL career, the Chiefs put on an offensive showcase and capitalized off of four Texans' turnovers to run away with a convincing 42-14 victory.

             The Texans' defense showed promise in the first half when
             linebacker Kailee
                 Wong sacked Trent Green in the first quarter and cornerback Marcus
                 Coleman intercepted a Green pass early in the second
             quarter. Entering the locker room at halftime, the Texans
             trailed by just one touchdown, 14-7.
             In the second half, however, the momentum shifted after a fumble
             by running back Tony
                 Hollings and a punt returned for a touchdown by the Chiefs'
             return specialist Dante Hall. 
             "We
             went out in the third quarter and fumbled the football and they
             went down and scored," head coach Dom
                 Capers said.
             "Everything turned around. The
             game got away from us."
             After normally sure-handed running back Stacey
                 Mack coughed up the ball for the Texans' third turnover,
             quarterback David
                 Carr threw his second interception of the game, which was
             returned 39 yards for the Chiefs' final score.
             "Against
             a team like Kansas City with the offense they have, you can't
             turn the ball over and give them field position," Capers
             said. "I know we are capable of a lot better."
             While the Texans struggled with turnovers, Johnson quietly led
             both teams in receiving. He made several catches in traffic and
             showed his unparalleled strength with some tough runs after the
             catch. 
             On his first touchdown reception of the night, Johnson got
             behind the Chiefs' secondary on a third-and-eight situation at
             midfield for a 43-yard bomb from Carr. It was the fourth-longest
             touchdown reception in Texans' history and the 96-yard drive was 

the longest in franchise history.

             With the Chiefs leading 42-7 late in the fourth quarter, Johnson
             showed a lot of heart and resilience when he turned a short
             catch into a four-yard touchdown masterpiece. He muscled out of
             the grasp of one defender and dodged two others to cap off a
             16-play 73-yard drive. 
             Unfortunately, the touchdown came too late and the Texans were
             left helplessly watching the clock tick down to zero for their
             second loss of this young 2003 season. 
             While the loss hurts, there is no time to dwell. After reviewing
             tape of the game tomorrow, the Texans will get ready for the
             Jacksonville Jaguars, who will enter Reliant Stadium next
             weekend in search of their first victory of the season.
             "We
             have to go back and get ready to play another game next
             weekend," Texans defensive end Gary
                 Walker said. "When
             you start working on Jacksonville on Wednesday, this game will
             be behind you.  This
             is the NFL. You have to
             be ready to play every week."
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