Houston Texans: David Johnson returns with excellent receiving numbers

David Johnson returned to the Houston Texans starting lineup in Week 15.

Here is the thing for Houston Texans running back David Johnson from Week 15 and the 2020 season: No matter how well he did or didn’t do, he was battling the shadow of DeAndre Hopkins all season long.

In Week 15 for his return to the field after missing the past three games due to being on the COVID/reserve list, Johnson didn’t do much in the rushing game with eight carries for 27 yards and no touchdowns. In fact, Johnson averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, and his longest rush went for eight yards.

Sadly, he was the leading rusher for the Texans in the 27-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Week 15, but there was a bright spot for the Houston Texans offense, and that was the receiving abilities of David Johnson in his return to the field.

In catching passes, Johnson was outstanding and did a solid job by posting 11 receptions on 11 targets for 106 yards, but unfortunately no touchdowns. Johnson averaged 9.6 yards per reception, and the running back had a best reception on 31 yards in the 10th loss of the season for the Texans.

Even with the Houston Texans out of playoff contention, and not even having a chance to have a .500 record either, Houston didn’t make things easy for the Colts on Sunday, or in their previous meeting a couple weeks ago back in Week 13 as it too was a one-possession game that the Texans had a chance to win.

Johnson hasn’t been much of a factor rushing the football in 2020. Part of that is fault of his own, and there are other factors such as the offensive line isn’t the best at times this season, and the play-calling hasn’t been the greatest, either.

Houston Texans: The ’20 season hasn’t been what was expected

In 2020, David Johnson has 121 carries for 479 yards for the Houston Texans in 10 games played, averaging 4.0 yards per carry and he has four rushing touchdowns. His longest rush of the season I 29 yards, but he also rushed for 27 first downs.

Johnson’s receiving numbers for the season are as follows: 27 receptions for 267 yards and one touchdown, and that includes the Week 15 performance of 106 yards. So, before Sunday’s game Johnson had only 161 yards receiving in nine games. In all of ’20, Johnson is averaging 9.9 yards per reception, which isn’t so bad for a running back, and his best reception is 31 yards.

With two games left on the schedule, Johnson has a couple more games to add to his overall stats, but this has been a season which wasn’t as good as expected. Johnson had a few setbacks in 2020 with injuries, missed games and coaching changes. As a whole, the entire Houston Texans team has underachieved, and their 4-10 record is proof of that.

Johnson needs the final two games for the Houston Texans to be a positive end to the ’20 season, and hopefully once a new coaching staff is brought into play, things will improve for the offense and that will make things better for Johnson next season.

As for this past Sunday, David Johnson caught the ball well. It is just a shame the rushing game of the entire Houston Texans has become as poor as it has this season and that Johnson isn’t as great of a player that he was traded for.