Punting may be one area where the Houston Texans have actually improved throughout the 2022 season.
Punter Cam Johnston is enjoying one of the best yards per punt averages of his career through nine games at 48.7. If Johnston is able to hold that figure for the next eight games, it would eclipse his career high of 48.1 set in 2018 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to special teams coach Frank Ross, Johnston has demonstrated improvement consistently throughout the 2022 campaign.
“Improvement has been every step of the way, he’s gotten better as he’s gone,” Ross told reporters Nov. 17. “Started out not where he wants to be, and has gotten better since then. Had a few clutch and really closer to the elite punts, one that checks back inside its own 10-yard line and the ball hits the ground and checks backwards and doesn’t go in.”
Johnston had one of his better punts against the New York Giants in the 24-16 loss at MetLife Stadium when he backed up the G-Men deep.
Said Ross of the 52-yard punt in the second quarter: “Not always easy to do and then it resulted in the ball being on the 3-yard line. That’s like the ideal version of every punt that happens, not always going to happen. That’s the strive on each one of those.”
The Giants were able to get out of the shadow of their own goalpost with a first down, but punted the ball away after the next set of downs — none of which may not have been possible if Johnston hadn’t pinned the Giants near their own goal line.
Nevertheless Ross believes Johnston and the rest of the unit has to, “continue to get better.”
The Texans take on Washington Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time from NRG Stadium.