Wily veteran
Veteran cornerback’s interceptions set tone for defense’s big day
Cornerback Johnathan Joseph puts his experience to good use.
At the age of 33, Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph long ago mastered the finer points of how to thrive and survive at cornerback for 12 NFL seasons.
Play recognition helps. Knowing how to celebrate helps, too. Both were evident on his two second-quarter interceptions that gave the Texans breathing room en route to their 33-17 win over the Browns.
Joseph picked off an errant throw from Cleveland quarterback Kevin Hogan on the eighth play of the second quarter and returned it 82 yards for a score to give the Texans a 16-3 lead. He wrapped up the quarter with a second interception at the Texans’ 45-yard line with 11 seconds left.
“It was a big play in the game,” he said of the touchdown return. “The linebacker did a good job of forcing (Hogan) out and making it tough to throw, and I just caught it and had a good convoy leading me in.”
Turning back the clock
It was Joseph’s first two-interception game since Nov. 21, 2010, when he twice picked Ryan Fitzpatrick in the Bengals’ 49-31 loss to the Bills.
He wasn’t able to finish that 2010 game, having tweaked an ankle injury while scoring on his second pick. Sunday, he made sure he stayed healthy and hearty by avoiding a celebratory dance after his score.
“I talked Friday about doing a touchdown celebration,” he said. “It wasn’t going to be a dance. It was going to be a James Harden step-back with a 3-pointer. It was definitely not going to be a dance. I’m not a dancer.”
Besides, he said, the crowd’s cheers and his teammates’ congratulations “wore me down a little bit.” So he saved his energy and had enough left for a second pick as halftime approached.
Both were significant plays for a team that last week lost defensive end J.J, Watt and linebacker Whitney Mercilus, and both were appreciated by his teammates.
“That’s Joe, man. He’s running around like he’s 21 still,” cornerback Kareem Jackson said. “It definitely lit a spark for us today. He’s always made some huge plays throughout his career.”
“I don’t know why (Hogan) kept throwing it,” linebacker Jadaveon Clowney said. “I don’t think he knew (any) better.”
Joseph, though, said Hogan in both cases likely made the call that the defense dictated. Both were 50-50, win-or-lose propositions, and in both cases, the Texans prevailed.
“J-Joe is a freak,” nose tackle D.J. Reader said. “He knows exactly what is going to be run most of the time. It’s the craziest thing.”
Joseph said the Texans prepared for Hogan and rookie DeShone Kizer, who was replaced last week by Hogan during a 1714 loss to the Jets.
“They’re similar guys,” he said. “Both can make plays with their legs and have a big arm. We wanted to show them different looks and harass them all afternoon.”
That the Texans succeeded so thoroughly, keeping the Browns’ offense out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, impressed Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
“It’s a matter of scheme, it’s a matter of moving guys around,” O’Brien said. “It’s really about trying to stay ahead of the offense with multiple schemes, multiple things that we do.”
Filling in the gaps
Among the Texans who excelled in the “next man up” role were lineman Christian Covington, who had a tackle for loss, linebacker Brennan Scarlett (four tackles, newly acquired free-agent linebacker Lamarr Houston and linebacker Ufomba Kamalu, each of whom had a sack.
Reader had his first sack of the season and linebacker Dylan Cole had the Texans’ third interception of Hogan.
“It’s always about the next man up,” Joseph said. “When you say it, people just laugh and say it’s a cliché. But in this league when guys go down, you still have to go out and play the game.
“There’s no J.J or Whitney, but we have enough guys on this team to pick up the slack … and we expect them to play at the same level as the guys they’re replacing.”