Texans put in request to interview Lions' Ben Johnson for coaching vacancy

Allen Park — The Houston Texans have put in a request to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for the franchise's head-coaching vacancy, according to a team source familiar with the talks.

On Monday, the Texans fired coach Lovie Smith, the second consecutive year the team has fired a head coach after just one season. Johnson, who recently completed his first season as Lions offensive coordinator, has quickly gained steam as a viable candidate after leading the team's offense to a top-five finish in both yards and points, a year after the unit finished near the bottom of the league in both categories.

The Texans request came a couple of hours after Lions coach Dan Campbell…