Then he started to throw some punches

HOUSTON -- Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak hasnt ruled out wide receiver Andre Johnson for Sundays game against Cleveland after the star wide receiver missed his second straight day of practice Thursday. Kurt Suzuki Jersey. Kubiak said Johnson, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, was feeling better but the Texans didnt feel he was ready to practice. The receiver went through an intense workout Monday that left him sore and caused him to miss the practices. Kubiak expects Johnson to return to practice on Friday. "Im not scared to play Andre if he doesnt practice," Kubiak said. "He knows whats going on. This is strictly about his health and how hes feeling." Johnson was injured Oct. 2 against Pittsburgh and had a minor procedure to repair the right hamstring injury early the next week. He has missed four straight games and the Texans dropped the first two without him before winning their last two. With Johnson out, the Texans have just four healthy receivers on their roster. Jacoby Jones has been starting opposite Kevin Walter while Johnson recovers, and the Texans also have Derrick Mason and Bryant Johnson. Walter led the group with five receptions for 70 yards in Sundays win over Jacksonville, which improved the Texans to 5-3 and 3-0 in the AFC South. Tight end Owen Daniels also pitched in, snagging four passes for 60 yards. Kubiak has been impressed with their work while Johnson sits on the bench. "Andre is our big gun. Hes a great player, a tremendous player and when you lose a guy like that for four games in a season its very tough," Kubiak said. "Its tough on the quarterback, tough on the group, tough on the receivers. I think theyve all kind of responded in their own way. Theyve all made plays and its been a grind for them." Running back Arian Foster had just one reception for 12 yards against Jacksonville, but his 299 yards receiving in the last four games have led the team with Johnson out. "Thats always been a part of what we do," Kubiak said. "Hes excellent with his hands. Hes a three down player and were going to always make sure that people have to worry about him doing that as well as running the ball. Its just another way of him touching the ball." Fosters receiving yards have been helpful to the team with Johnson out, but it has been his running that has helped them get back on track in the last two games. Foster has 227 yards rushing combined in the last two games. He is the ninth leading rusher in the NFL with 532 yards despite missing two games. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys. On Tuesday night at Shaw Park, the Goldeyes blew their first save since June 18, in Sioux Falls. Aaron Hernandez Jersey.C., residents were on the defensive yesterday after a member of the Canadian luge team questioned their support for the Olympics in her blog. Serge Ibaka Jersey. Bute used the day to hit the gym for a private training session in a modest section of Nottingham about 10 minutes from the city centre. Jean Bedard, president of Interbox and Butes promoter, joked that the facility smelled a bit like a hockey locker-room. Dwight Howard Magics Jersey. Liu Huixia and Zhu Jiaming of China took the gold at 329.70, the Ware sisters followed at 304.38 and Monica Marquez and Karla Rivas of Mexico were third at 290.25. "Weve been focused on our individual events most of this year so it was nice to get back together," said Carol-Ann Ware. Alex Smith Jersey. Ross has been out since fouling a ball off his foot Friday night against Philadelphia. An X-ray showed no breaks, but an MRI on Monday revealed a small fracture.You could say that Detroit Red Wing coach Mike Babcock was holding his breath when Pavel Datsyuk dropped the gloves Friday night with Anaheims Corey Perry. "All I was thinking was, Dont break your hand, Pav," Babcock said. When the fight first started, Babcock wasnt overly concerned. "Pav is so strong," Babcock said. "Hes a hard guy, hes not backing down from anyone, but I just figured he might hold on. He would be fine. Then he started to have some fun. Then he started to throw some punches. Thats when I started holding my breath." Once Datsyuk was safely in the penalty box, after having done a more than credible job in the fight with Perry, Babcock noted the fans in Joe Louis Arena showed their appreciation for Datsyuks foray into fisticuffs by chanting his name. Loudly and with gusto. "Ive been in Detroit, what, six years?" he said. "The only time Ive heard a (Red Wing) players name chanted like that is Ozzie (netminder Chris Osgood) a lot of times after a big save and once with Stevie Y(zerman) when he was jumping over the boards to take a shootout shot against Nashville, so that tells you something right there. It was really something." And it goes without saying Babcock is thrilled Datsyuk emerged unscathed, although the Red Wing coach has some pretty good job security now rregardless of who gets injured. Drew Doughty Jersey The Red Wings announced today Babcock has signed a four-year extension, above and beyond this season, the last on Babcocks old contract. The best guesstimates are that Babcocks deal is worth around $2M per year -- there is no salary disclosure for coaches -- and it likely makes him, along with Chicago coach Joel Quenneville, who was recently extended by the Blackhawks, as the highest paid coaches in the NHL. Before committing to the extension, Babcock talked to the other NHL coaches with tremendous tenure in one city -- Lindy Ruff in Buffalo and Barry Trotz in Nashville. Babcock wanted to get a feel from them for how they felt about staying in one place for so long, the challenges of keeping things fresh and making sure the players dont get tired of hearing the same voice or that if they do, how to keep things moving forward. Babcock had no real desire to leave Detroit, especially since its arguably the finest organization in the entire NHL and his kids are at the age where the last thing they want to do right now is pull up stakes and move. But hes also got a lot of pride and doesnt just want to be one of the coaches with the most tenure in one city, he wants to be the best. Signing the extension in Detroit will give him a chance to do all that and then some. ' ' '