Here are five things to watch for when the Texans (4-5) take on the New York Jets (7-2) at New Meadowlands Stadium in Week 11. Kickoff is on Sunday at noon CT.
1. Johnson vs. Revis:Two of the best in the league at what they do will go head-to-head on Sunday in Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Johnson led the league in receiving in 2008 and 2009, surpassing 1,500 yards in both seasons. He's fourth in the league with 781 yards this season despite missing one game and being hobbled by a sprained ankle. He has at least 100 yards in three of his last four games.
Revis was first-team All-Pro in 2009 and the runner-up in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting. This season, he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 but has been at 100 percent over the last few weeks. Revis kept Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson to a season-low one catch for 13 yards two weeks ago.
All indications from New York are that Revis will be lined up against Johnson all game, following him around the field like he did last year in Week 1 at Reliant Stadium. Johnson had only four catches for 35 yards in that game.
2. Schaub in action:Texans quarterback Matt Schaub will face the chaotic Jets defense five days after he was hospitalized for a bursa sac issue in his right knee.
Schaub spent about 24 hours in treatment at Methodist Hospital after his knee unexpectedly flared up on Tuesday. He was limited in practice on Thursday and practiced fully on Friday, after which Texans coach Gary Kubiak said that Schaub was fine and ready to go. Schaub said Thursday that his knee doesn't bother him when he moves or throws.
Last year against the Jets, Schaub was sacked twice and pressured constantly. He threw for only 166 yards with a season-low 55.9 passer rating, completing 18-of-33 passes with no touchdowns and one interception. The Texans had only two drives that produced more than 35 yards.
"Obviously, they're one of the top defenses," Schaub said. "They are physical. They show you a lot of different looks and bring a lot of different pressures. You've got to play a really good game. You got to be on top of your stuff and not give them extra opportunities, especially playing in their place."
3. Room to run?:The Jets haven't allowed a single running back to gain more than 88 rushing yards this season, presenting a formidable challenge for Arian Foster and the Texans.
Foster leads the league in rushing yards (920), yards from scrimmage (1,239) and touchdowns (11). He's averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and his backup Derrick Ward is averaging 6.3. The Jets have allowed 3.44 yards per carry and 89.6 rushing yards per game, giving them the fifth-ranked rushing defense in the NFL.
In Week 9 against San Diego, the league's top-ranked overall defense and second-ranked rushing defense, Foster had 27 carries for 127 yards (4.7 average) and two touchdowns.
4. New faces on defense:The Texans will continue to use a different combination of players in an effort to bolster their defense, which ranks 32nd in the league in passing and 31st overall.
Cornerback Jason Allen will see his first action with the Texans this week. Claimed off waivers last Thursday, he started seven games for the Miami Dolphins earlier this season, including in Week 3 against the Jets.
Cornerback Brice McCain played in a rotation with rookie Kareem Jackson last week against Jacksonville. Free safety Troy Nolan and rookie linebacker Darryl Sharpton got an uptick in playing time, and Sharpton will start this week if Zac Diles is unable to play. Diles is expected to be available, but he's listed as questionable after missing two days of practice with an illness.
Another player who has emerged in recent weeks is defensive end Mark Anderson, who notched his second sack in three games last Sunday at Jacksonville. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has played with poise in the clutch this season, but he has been sacked four times and posted a 48.0 passer rating in the Jets' two losses.
5. LT/Greene:Jets running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene power the NFL's fourth-ranked rushing offense. With a combined 1,119 yards, they've helped New York control the ball for 31:35 per game, which ranks eighth in the league. The Texans rank 25th in average time of possession at 28:01.
It's been a renaissance season for Tomlinson, the future Hall of Famer who was released by the San Diego Chargers in February. At 31 years old, he has 141 carries for 656 yards (4.7 average) and five touchdowns. He's also the Jets' leading receiver with 36 catches.
"I've been looking at LaDainian all year, and I'm just amazed at the turnaround he's made," Texans defensive end Antonio Smith said. "I figured (he might) once they took all them carries off him that he had on him up there in San Diego and he had somebody to carry the load with him."
Greene, a second-year pro out of Iowa, has 107 carries for 463 yards (4.3 average) and one touchdown. His role in the offense is increasing of late; he has 30 carries in the last two games compared to 33 carries for Tomlinson.
