Texans CB Lonnie Johnson to see more playing time with S A.J. Moore on injured reserve
Houston Texans defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s heart aches for third-year safety A.J. Moore, who is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and will miss his first game after 35 consecutive played.
“He’s put in a tremendous amount of work to get to the point that he’s been at and I know how much it kills him to not be able to go out there and help us,” Weaver told reporters on Thursday.
However, in the NFL when one player is unable to go, it opens up an opportunity for another. Similarly, Weaver is enthused about the chance second-year cornerback Lonnie Johnson will have to contribute to the Texans’ secondary.
“Lonnie undoubtedly will absolutely play more,” Weaver said. “He’s a guy that is gaining more confidence at the safety position every single day he’s out there. I think it means more than just more Lonnie Johnson. I think everybody in that secondary needs to step up when you lose a guy like A.J. Moore.”
Though Johnson, who has had 95 defensive snaps in the past three games with seven combined tackles, will see more playing time in the absence of Moore, Weaver is also counting on other personnel in the secondary to contribute.
“We need Phillip Gaines probably to step into a role,” said Weaver. “John Reid, perhaps. Everybody needs to pick up their game just so we can make up for the loss of that guy.”
The Texans take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 at NRG Stadium in a battle between two 0-3 teams. The Vikings have a dangerous pair of receivers in Adam Thielen and rookie Justin Jefferson, who torched the Tennessee Titans for seven catches for 175 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Titans barely held on with a 31-30 win. Houston may not be so lucky if they are similarly porous in the secondary.
