clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Andre Johnson, Cortland Finnegan matchup may be delayed

The Texans receiver is a game-time decision. The Rams cornerback's status is up in the air, and fans may not get a long-awaited rematch between the gridiron pugilists.

Bob Levey

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is a game-time decision for a Week 6 matchup against the St. Louis Rams. Johnson expressed confidence that he would play this week. However, he might not have his old sparring partner, Cortland Finnegan, on the field with him. Finnegan missed practice again Friday with a hamstring.

Finnegan left last week's game against the Jaguars with an injury, and did not return. He sat out practice all week. He is listed as doubtful on the Friday injury report.

Finnegan and Johnson got into a famous beef on the field in 2010 in a game between the Titans and Texans. Finnegan instigated the incident, giving Johnson a shot to the face off the line of scrimmage, a radical new interpretation of "press coverage." Johnson finished the fight, ripping off Finnegan's helmet and landing a few well-placed haymakers. Jeff Fisher had to make his way onto the field and keep players out of the scrum.

Still feisty, the Rams corner has stayed out any out-and-out scrums this season, but he has struggled in coverage. He's allowed a completion rate of 84 percent and three touchdowns in four games this year. That's up from the 73.3 percent completion rate he allowed last season, with no touchdowns and three interceptions. In 2011, his last year in Tennessee, Finnegan allowed just 63.4 percent of passes thrown at him to be completed, with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Rams signed Finnegan to a five-year, $50 million contract with $27 million guaranteed in March 2012.

Wanting another look at the infamous Finnegan-Johnson battle? Here you go: