Titans at Texans: What to Know
NASHVILLE – For the second straight year, the Tennessee Titans will conclude the regular season with a game at Houston. And for the second straight year, the Titans’ playoff fate hangs in the balance while the Texans have nothing at stake.
The big difference this time is that Houston long ago was eliminated from playoff contention and has the chance to play spoiler. In 2019, the Texans already had clinched the division title and elected not to play some of its top performers, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, as they turned their focus to the postseason.
THE SITUATION
Based on what happens in other games, the Titans don’t need to win this one in order to clinch a playoff berth or even to win the AFC South. But the easiest way to do both is to defeat the Texans for the second time this season.
The NFL has set the schedule to ensure that at least something will be at stake when kickoff arrives. Tennessee might be assured of a playoff berth by that time, but the division will remain up for grabs because the Titans (10-5) and Indianapolis Colts (10-5) play at the same time. Tennessee will win the division with a win, a Colts loss or if both teams tie.
In addition to the playoff implications, a win will give Tennessee more than 10 wins for the seventh time during the Titans era (1999-present) and for the first time under a coach other than Jeff Fisher.
THE OPPONENT
Houston (4-11) has lost its last four, including a 36-7 blowout at Chicago on Dec. 13, and will finish with a losing record for just the second time in seven seasons. The Texans were 4-12 in 2017.
The situation fueled a postgame tirade following Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati by three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, who said – among other things – “We stink” and challenged his teammates to be at their best for this contest.
“This is the greatest job in the world,” Watt said. “You get to go out and play a game, and if you can't care enough even in Week 17, even when you're trash, when you're 4-11. If you can't care enough to go out there and give everything you've got and try your hardest, that's bulls--t."
Quarterback Deshaun Watson had an issue with his throwing elbow in the loss to the Bengals but insisted earlier this week that he intends to play. He was not listed on Wednesday’s official injury report. Watson has faced Tennessee five times in his career and is 3-2 with a 120.1 passer rating, which is his highest against any opponent he has faced more than once. He has 14 touchdown passes and four interceptions.
WORTH NOTING
• Offense has not been Houston’s problem. The Texans are second to Kansas City in average yards per play at 6.31 and are fourth in passing yards at 278.5. The Titans are 24th in average yards per play allowed 5.8 and have allowed an average of 6.3 over the last three games. Their pass defense is ranked 28th with an average of 271.9 yards per game allowed.
• The first time these teams met this season, Houston was three-for-three on fourth down, 4-for-4 on red zone opportunities and 4-for-4 on goal-to-go situations. It was the first time in franchise history the Texans were 100 percent in all three of those situations and it made them the sixth team in 14 years to do it. The last to do so before them was Baltimore in Week 12 of 2019.
• Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham, who played college football in Nashville (Vanderbilt), needs 13 tackles to get to 163 and move into the top 10 for a single season by any NFL player from 2000-20. Cunningham currently has 150 tackles, three sacks, four quarterback hits, three sacks and six tackles for loss.
