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HOUSTON – Houston’s Steve Slaton and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson were two of the best rookie running backs in the NFL last season.
Slaton was the top rusher among rookies with 1,282 yards, and Johnson was third behind Chicago’s Matt Forte with 1,228.
Their careers have taken very different turns this season as they met prepared to meet Monday night when the Texans played host to the Titans. The Texans (5-4) were trying to remain viable in the playoff chase with a win. The Titans (3-6) were looking for their fourth straight win to move farther away from their 0-6 start.
Johnson has established himself as one of the top running backs in the NFL and led the league in rushing with 1,091 yards entering this week. Slaton has been mired in a fumbling funk that kept him out of the starting lineup in Houston’s last game. He has just 359 rushing yards.
While Slaton hasn’t had a 100-yard game since December against the Titans, Johnson is thinking about 200-yard games. He has one this season, but laments finishing just shy of the mark with 197 in Tennessee’s 34-31 loss to Houston in Week 2.
“I was kind of upset I didn’t get 200 yards,” Johnson said. “I’m going to try and get that.”
He knows Houston’s defense has improved since that game. The unit gave up a league-worst 205 rushing yards through the first three games, but has given up just more than 60 a game since.
The Texans held Johnson to 65 rushing yards in the last game in Houston, a 13-12 win by the Texans.
Johnson, who has rushed for at least 100 yards and two scores in three straight games, said he worried about the sophomore slump.
Johnson has rushed for 100 yards five times this season, including a season-high 228 yards against the Jaguars. He’s scored nine touchdowns and is averaging 6.4 yards a carry.
Slaton has more fumbles (7) than touchdowns (6) this season and his season-high is 76 yards. Coach Gary Kubiak hasn’t said whether he’ll return to his starting role after he was replaced by Ryan Moats two weeks ago.
“It’s been very frustrating,” Slaton said. “Anytime you put the ball on the ground it’s very frustrating, and doing it on a consistent basis is bothering, but hopefully I can change around in this half of the season.”
Slaton has tried everything to correct his problem and spent the bye week watching a tape of former Giants running back Tiki Barber and asking some former coaches for advice.
“Tiki had a real big problem, just like myself,” Slaton said. “So I think, if he got his fixed, why can’t I get mine fixed?”
