Brown's Heroics Drive Texans Win

Kickers are lame. When kids play pickup football games, no one gets chosen first because they can split the uprights with a perfect field goal. Plus, they're only on the field about ten plays a game, if that. But tonight, Kris Brown is the toast of the town after leading the Texans to a nail-biter win over the Miami Dolphins at Reliant Stadium today.

After suffering a heel injury on his non-kicking foot on the opening kickoff, Brown kicked five field goals, including the 57-yard game winner with one second left. The fact that Brown was the leading scorer in the game is a testament to his consistency as well as the anemic performance of the Texans offense. Without starters Ahman Green and Andre Johnson, they had trouble all day completing drives. Ron Dayne contributed a touchdown early in the game, but using a bruiser running back like Dayne as a primary offensive weapon is rarely a recipe for blowout wins.

Another indication of the Texans' injury-worn offense was the fact that the leading receiver in the game was tight end Owen Daniels. No offense toward Daniels is intended, as he's one of the leagues better TE's and the Texans have proven adept throughout the years at integrating the player at that position in ways that would make the Run-N-Shoot Oilers' heads explode. But Andre Davis is going to have to step up until Johnson and Jacoby Jones return if the Texans still expect to go to the playoffs.

On a darker side, Texans defensive end Travis Johnson cast a shadow over the game with a brutal collision with Dolphins QB Trent Green. During a botched reverse by WR Ted Ginn, Green went to block Johnson and Green's helmet collided with Johnson's knee, upending the gigantic Johnson. Green was crumpled by the hit and lay motionless on the field. Once Johnson regained his footing, he came back to stand over Green (seen here in this AP photo) and was assessed a 15 yd. penalty for taunting. Johnson went on to unleash a tirade in Green's direction after the game for what he perceived as a dirty hit; he did apologize to coach Gary Kubiak for his actions on the field, however. Green was taken to the hospital for observation and will possibly miss his next start.

The lowly Dolphins remain winless after this game, while the Texans improved to 3-2 on the year. Next up is a trip to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars; if Ahman Green and Andre Johnson are healthy by next Sunday, we could see the butt-kicking Texans we enjoyed the first couple games of the season. Otherwise, it could come down to Kris Brown's kicking again; which, as we learned today, isn't all that lame after all.

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Photo: flickr user mrp1001