Antonio Johnson.

huevonkiller · Nov 22, 2008

Friday, November 21
ALWAYS PREPARED
By John Oehser - Colts.com

Recently-Signed Johnson Makes Quick Impact for Colts in First Two Games
INDIANAPOLIS – Antonio Johnson said he never lost confidence.

Johnson, a second-year defensive tackle with the Colts, said even while he spent a year and a half on the frustrating fringe of his dream, and even while he rehabbed and waited, never did he question his ability to play in the NFL.

Not while he spent a season on the Tennessee Titans’ injured reserve list.

And not while he spent another half season on their practice squad.

So, when the Colts signed him to their active roster on November 4, Johnson said he wasn’t really surprised and he wasn’t really not surprised.

Basically, he said, he was just ready.

“You’ve just got to come in, be focused, go out and give it your all,” Johnson said this week as the Colts (6-4) prepared to play the San Diego Chargers (4-6) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Cal., Sunday at 8:15 p.m.

“I just kept working hard every week, and I prepared every week as if I was going to play.”

That approach proved effective the past two weeks.

Johnson (6-feet-3,
310 pounds), a fifth-round selection by the Titans in the 2007 NFL Draft from Mississippi State, moved quickly into a key reserve role after joining the Colts, making eight tackles in Indianapolis’ 24-20 over Pittsburgh two weeks ago and four more this past week in a victory over Houston.

Two games, 12 tackles, and a big impact at a position at which the Colts – after the preseason retirement of Quinn Pitcock and the early-season release of Ed Johnson – had searched much of the season for depth and effectiveness.

Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy said this week while Johnson was effective against Houston, teams such as Pittsburgh and San Diego – teams that emphasis power running games – are where he could be most effective because of his size and strength.

“It was a different type of game for him (vs. Houston),” Dungy said. “Not so much a straight-ahead power game, but a lot of stretch plays and reach blocks. . . . This upcoming game (at San Diego) will probably be more his style of game with a lot more powers and double teams.”

Johnson said he’s not as concerned with the style of opponent these days than taking advantage of an opportunity for which he waited a season and a half.

He sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament early in his first training camp with the Titans, and missed the season on injured reserve.

“It was pretty difficult, but every day, I went in the training room in attack-mode,” Johnson said. “I took my rehab very seriously. When it was time for me to go back out and play, I took that seriously also. In rehab, you’ve just got to go and work hard every day. There’s no time off in rehab.

“It’s not an easy time, but you just have to stay motivated and keep good people in your circle. You have to be positive about a situation instead of being negative. I just wanted to be positive, so that’s what I did. I attacked my rehab and came back strong.”

He rehabilitated the injury, and after spending training camp and preseason with the Titans, he was released after the team’s final preseason game.

He re-signed to the practice squad, and although he called his release disappointing, he said he focused on preparation rather than worrying about his situation.

“I just waited on my opportunity, and when it came, I did my best to take advantage of it,” Johnson said. “At some point, I thought I’d get the opportunity – if I worked hard, and trusted in the Lord. It’s all about faith.”

Johnson said when the Colts called, he was excited and optimistic about his chances to fit with the team. The Colts and Titans both employ four-man defensive fronts, with an emphasis on pressuring the quarterback.

“They’re big on pass rush, big on stopping the runs and big off getting off (double-)teams,” he said. “I was like, ‘This is a good opportunity. So, yeah, I’ll go.’’’

Mostly, Johnson said he was thankful to have an opportunity, and ready to take advantage of it.

“I’m just happy to be playing, to be out on the field, competing,” Johnson said. “I’m just happy to be playing football. Sitting out a year and half . . . man, it hurts. I want to play the game. Things happen and you have to overcome adversity.

“I think it was a good move. I came over here to the Colts. They welcomed me with open arms and I’m just happy to be here playing football.”
Click to expand...

Source: Colts.com

huevonkiller · Dec 26, 2008

Update time. :]

Titans castoff now a key piece for Colts

December 24, 2008 12:30 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Titans proved themselves to be nine players deep on their defensive line in an excellent performance against the Steelers.

Sunday in Indianapolis, Tennessee's running backs will try to get past a player the Titans did not judge to be worthy of a spot in that group, who's now starting for the rival Colts.

When Indianapolis wanted to sign Antonio Johnson off the Titans' practice squad on Nov. 4, Tennessee deemed him expendable rather than doing what was necessary to create a roster spot to promote him.

Since then, Johnson has played in seven games, starting the last three, while averaging four tackles and playing a part in an improved Colts defense.

"He's been good," said Colts president Bill Polian.

"We went through a couple before we got him, but he's a great fit," Colts strongside linebacker Clint Session said. "I love playing behind him. He keeps me free. I run sideline to sideline without getting touched. That comes from his play. They're double-teaming him and he's been filling in for us great. He probably wasn't their guy there, but he's our guy here."

The Colts were thinned out on the interior defensive line very early, losing their best, biggest players against the run when Quinn Pitcock retired before training camp and Ed Johnson was cut for disciplinary reasons after Week 1.

So if Antonio Johnson was a solution sitting on the Titans' practice squad, why wasn't he en route to Indianapolis until the Colts were preparing for Week 10 in Pittsburgh?

"I don't like to poach, I really don't," Polian said. "I wish there were some other way that we could deal with that and my hat's off to them, they've done a great job. We probably should have got him earlier -- it was the idea of the poach and that he had been hurt the previous year so we really weren't sure. But if we were smart, we would have got him six weeks earlier."

Sign a player to your 53-man roster off someone else's practice squad, though, and you've got to keep him for three weeks. With his roster in flux because of injuries, Polian said he worried that he might be handcuffed with Johnson. When things settled down and the Colts still needed help, they made the call.

Johnson said he was glad to get the chance.

"I'm with the Colts now, I've got to play Colts football and I'm just happy to have this opportunity, I'm happy to be back out on the field playing football," Johnson said. "It's been good. I've come in and just tried to do my role, help out on the run, that's what they got me here for. That's what I do, every play I just try to make something happen."

Johnson was rated as a late-bloomer with enormous upside by the Titans when they spent a fifth-rounder on him, the 152nd pick overall, when he came out of Mississippi State in 2007. But he blew out a knee early in training camp as a rookie and after a year of rehab, couldn't beat out Kevin Vickerson, a run-stopper the Titans added during the year Johnson was on IR.

The Titans stashed Johnson on the practice squad and still hoped he'd blossom. But when the Colts came calling, Tennessee chose to keep three non-contributors on offense -- receivers Paul Williams and Chris Davis and running back Chris Henry -- ahead of him.

"We were disappointed we lost a draft choice that we felt had potential to eventually play for us, but at that point we did not have a spot roster-wise for him," coach Jeff Fisher said. "He'll get off the ball and play hard and fly around. We thought he was just going to take a bit more time."

And, of course, the Titans could not have foreseen that for their Week 16 showdown with Pittsburgh, they'd be without Albert Haynesworth (knee) and Vickerson (serving a four-game suspension for a violation of the policy against steroid and performance-enhancing drugs).

"Had Antonio been here, there would have been a pretty good chance he'd have been active for us," Fisher said.

Instead the tackle signed to fill the practice squad slot, Amon Gordon, worked as Tennessee's third tackle against the Steelers.

Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, Titans running backs LenDale White, Chris Johnson and Quinton Ganther probably will be trying to get by Johnson when they go up the middle.

He and Daniel Muir, who has played in only five games, are the lone Indianapolis defenders who weigh more than 300 pounds -- Johnson is listed at 310, Muir at 312.

Last Thursday, after the Colts had clinched a playoff spot with a win at Jacksonville, Johnson was asked about what has unfolded in Tennessee since he left.

"That doesn't have anything to do with me anymore," he said. "They've got some guys down. I don't care if they're regretting it or what. My agent told me they weren't trying to activate me anytime soon. My agent let them know, they didn't take any shot at me ...

"I want to go against them, next week they're going down. I don't have anything to brag about, I come out every game and just try to do my best. So I look forward to playing them."
Click to expand...

Source: Espn.com

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Antonio Johnson.

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