Texans’ Johnson has ‘mild’ hamstring injury

HOUSTON — Andre Johnson has a “mild” left hamstring injury, though Houston coach Gary Kubiak couldn’t say if his star receiver would play at Cincinnati this weekend.

Johnson pulled up in the third quarter of Sunday’s 17-10 win over Atlanta as he was chasing down a deep pass from rookie T.J. Yates, who was making his first NFL start. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver was playing his second game after missing the previous six with a right hamstring injury that required minor surgery.

Bears’ Forte expected to return from sprained knee

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith expects star running back Matt Forte to return this season from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Smith says Forte “looked pretty good” Monday, but he wouldn’t put a timetable on the running back’s return. Forte was injured in the opening quarter of Sunday’s 10-3 loss to Kansas City.

Brees passes for 342 yards, 3 TDs in Saints’ win

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns, and the New Orlean Saints defeated mistake-prone Detroit 31-17 on Sunday night for their fourth straight win. The Lions were penalized 11 times for 107 yards.

Brees has 4,031 yards, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 4,000 yards in the first 12 games. His TD passes went to Robert Meachem, Lance Moore and Darren Sproles.

Around the league

• EAGLES: Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick returned to practice Monday after missing three games with two broken ribs and will play Sunday at Miami. Vick suffered two broken ribs Nov. 13. He’s thrown 11 TD passes and 11 interceptions.

• BILLS: Buffalo coach Chan Gailey is not optimistic either tight end Scott Chandler (left ankle) or rookie cornerback Aaron Williams (right knee) will play at San Diego this weekend. Starting safety George Wilson (neck) likely will miss his fourth straight game.

• VIKINGS: Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder has a hip pointer after taking a hard during Sunday’s loss to Denver Coach Leslie Frazier said Joe Webb would play Sunday at Detroit if Ponder couldn’t.

From wire dispatches and staff reports.