Official Texans vs. Titans Game Thread, 10/1/2017
 

The 1-2 Houston Texans host the 2-1 Tennessee Titans this Sunday at NRG stadium in an early game. The Texans are coming off a 36-33 road loss to the New England Patriots. The Titans are coming off a 33-27 home win vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Big game (yes, they're all big) for the Texans as they can't afford to go 0-2 in the division.

This may not be the game for the Texans to try to go mostly with the run. The Titan front seven is very strong but they seem to have vulnerabilities in the secondary (26th in passing defense). OTOH, the Texan defense can expect to see a lot of the very good Titan run game....

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TV = CBS (channel 11 local), noon Sunday, October 1, 2017

Announcers = Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon

The line = pickem to Titans by 2½

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area:

FOX (really early) = New Orleans vs Miami (in London), Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis, 8:30 am CST

CBS (late) = Oakland @ Denver, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOXS (late) = Philadelphia @ LA Chargers, Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth

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Prime time:

TNF = Chicago @ Green Bay (CBS/NFLN)

SNF = Indianapolis @ Seattle (NBC)

MNF = Washington @ Kansas City (ESPN)

I understand the Saints and Dolphins will join together and make black power salutes during the national anthems while claiming they mean no disrespect to the flag or the queen.

I say we open a firehose on them, what do you think? Maybe burn a couple of goalposts.

Man, the networks used to show commercials during the National Anthem. It has now become an event...

Who's standing? Who's kneeling? Who's assumed the lotus position and is going "ommm"?

Jeez, I don't care - just give me the ballgame...

London has turned Muslim so I'd expect they might be thrown off tall buildings like the Muzzies do with gays. Or, I suppose, they could just behead them.

Back in the States, the Texans will find it tough to stop the Titans' running attack. Tennessee is soft on pass defense so will they try to open it up with Watson?

Ah, that's right. London no-go zones governed by Sharia law. Somehow I'd forgotten all about that fantasy.

Wurld's goin ta hell, haint it, Buford?

Titans win the toss and will receive.

Kickoff is brought out to the Titan 22.

my Directv connection is going nuts... There it is

On 3rd and 6, Mariota's pass is INT'ed by Hal! Texans ball at the Titan 43.

14:01 left in the 1st qtr.

L Miller for 3.

Pass to Ellington goes to the 5 yard line.

L Miller for about 2½. 2nd and goal coming up.

Pitchout to L Miller going left goes for the TD!

Texans 7, Titans 0

12:13 left in the 1st qtr.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

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Murray for 5.

Murray for 2. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Murray for 1. Titans have to punt on 4th and 1.

Punt is returned to the Texan 23. Texan's ball.

10:16 left in the 1st qtr.

Rollout pass to Anderson gets 11.

L Miller for about 2.

Pass to Griffin too tall, inc. Brings up 3rd and 8.

Pass to Hop gets 9 and the 1st down.

Watson pressured, throws it away, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

L Miller for 6. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Pass to Griffin gets 6 and the 1st down. Ball at the Titan 43.

L Miller for 2.

L Miller wide open in the flat takes the pass all the way to the Titan 9, 1st and goal.

L Miller for 1.

Pass to Hop over the middle good for the TD!

Texans 14, Titans 0

5:09 left in the 1st qtr.

I like what where you are going with this game plan Bill...

The execution has obviously been great but like last week I'm so impressed with the game plan.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

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Pass to Decker gets 6.

Henry loses 1. Brings up 3rd and 5.

Pass to Matthews off the mark, inc. Titan's have to punt.

Punt is fair caught at the Texan 24. Texan's ball.

3:39 left in the 1st qtr.

Foreman for 5.

Texans use a timeout (#1).

On 2nd and 5, Watson does the QB draw for 9 yards, 1st down.

Foreman for 4.

Foreman for 3. Brings up 3rd and 3.

Flat pass to Fuller gets 6 and the 1st down.

Foreman powers for 5.

Pass to Anderson goes for 17. Ball at the Titan 27.

WR screen to Hop goes for 10.

End of the 1st qtr.

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Pass to Fuller in the end zone is good for the TD! 16 yards!

Texans 21, Titans 0

14:54 left in the half.

Who are these guys?

This is crazy.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

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Murray gets in a scrum for 8.

Pass to Matthews gets 3 and the 1st down.

Pass to Walker gets 22. Ball at the Texan 38.

Murray dances for 9.

Flags presnap, false start Titans, -5. Brings up 2nd and 6.

Mariota keeps for a big 34 run for the TD.

Texans 21, Titan 7

11:44 left in the half.

Gotta start thinking about the Over in Texans games, now....

One mistake Clowney...he shouldn't make that one again...

When you have established that your QB is willing AND ABLE to be you with his legs the defense has to account for him...opening up running lanes...looking good offense...

It feels so weird...its like you are waiting for something bad to happen...lol...keep it up fellas

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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L Miller for 5.

L Miller for 6 and the 1st down.

End around to Fuller gets 4.

L Miller goes for 9 and the 1st down. Ball at the Texan 49.

L Miller for 9.

L Miller for 3 and the 1st down.

Deep pass to Fuller near the end zone too long, inc.

On 2nd and 10, slant pass to Hop is good for 15 and the 1st down.

L Miller for 4. Ball at the Titan 19.

Foreman sweep right for 11 but holding on the Texans backs it up. Makes it 2nd and 16 at the Texan 29.

Hop can't hold on to the short pass over the middle, inc. Brings up 3rd and 16.

Watson gets sacked and loses 3. Texans going for the FG.

Fairbairn's 50-yarder is good!

Texans 24, Titan 7

6:01 left in the half.

True that, lotta game left....

Seriously. Good QB play is making everything else so much better. We look surgical in our execution. The OL looks competent. Fuller looks good. We're converting 3rd downs. OB looks in the zone on play calling with everything working off itself.

I'm about to google super bowl tickets online.

Oh no...they are realizing how bad our back end is...

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

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Pass to Walker gets 20.

Pass to Matthews gets 13.

Henry for 3.

End around to Taylor gets 6. 3rd and 1 coming up. A little over 3 minutes left in the half.

Henry gets 3 and the 1st down. Ball at the Texan 30.

Pass to Matthews goes to the Texan 2 yard line. 1st and goal.

2 minute warning.

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Mariota rolls out right and keeps for the TD.

Texans 24, Titans 14

1:50 left in the half.

Between arm strength, speed of WRs, and a run game that makes safeties come up, it looks like we might be able to capitalize on the old Ravens strategy of chuck it deep and hope for PI.

The ensuing kickoff is brought back by Thompson all the way to the Texan 42. Texan's ball.

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Watson pressured, throws it away inc. Flag on the defense for hands to the face, 5 yards and an auto 1st down.

Pass to Griffin goes for 7. 1:31 left in the half.

Deep pass to Fuller in the end zone draws the PI. Ball is placed at the Titan 1 yard line. 1st and goal.

Watson keeps for the TD!

Oy, Fairbairn misses the XP.

Texans 30, Titans 14

1:19 left in the half.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

Hal with the pick! Ball at midfield! Texan's ball!

Great interception.

When you score 30 in the first half even a running team like Tennessee will abandon the running game to start chucking it. This is beautiful.

I guess you live and die with a QB who thinks he can make every play.

Watson scrambles for 10.

Short pass to L Miller over the middle gets 2. 36 seconds left in the half.

Pass to Hop goes for 21. Ball at the Titan 18.

Pass to Griffin in the end zone off the mark, inc.

Pass towards Hop is picked by the Titans. Titan's ball at their 9 yard line with 10 seconds left in the half.

Titans kneel it.

Halftime:

Texans 30, Titans 14

I had to read this three times to understand it.

Yeah, Deshaun made a couple of bad reads and bad decisions that last drive. I can live with it.

You hope he learns what plays he can't make, but you like that he thinks he can make every play.

Hopkins is molesting this guy on the sideline and for once they aren't calling offensive PI against him.

The 2nd half kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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L Miller for 9.

L Miller gets 2 and the 1st down.

Watson pressured, throws it away, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Watson buys some time and finds Hop for a gain of 15.

Short pass to Ellington gets 5.

L Miller goes for about 3. Brings up 3rd and 2.

Quick pass to Hop gets 6 and the 1st down. Ball at the Titan 36.

L Miller caught for a loss of 1.

Quick pass to Hop gets 5. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Ellington makes a catch for 5 yards. Brings up 4th and 1. Texans going for it.

Quick pass to Hop gets 4 in the flat, 1st down. Ball at the Titan 23.

Pass to Hop draws the PI. Ball is placed at the Titan 10 yard line. 1st and goal.

Whistles presnap.....false start on the Texans, -5 yards. 1st and 15 to the goal line.

Watson keeps for 4. 2nd and 11 coming up.

L Miller goes for 6. 3rd and goal at the 5 yard line.

False start Texans. -5 yards. 10½ yards to go for the TD.

Fuller hangs on! TD!

Texans 37, Titans 14

6:51 left in the 3rd qtr.

For every regrettable read Deshaun will make two or three or four unbelievable throws where he throws a guy open. Griffin last week, Fuller just now, and those are just the TD throws. He usually looks a lot more like a veteran than he does a rookie.

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Titan's ball at their 25.

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The Jets are leading the Jags 17-10......smh... I'm on the Jags...

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Cassel in at QB.

Pass to Murray gets 4.

Murray for 2. 3rd and 4 coming up.

Cassel's pass off the mark, inc. Titans have to punt.

Punt is caught out of bounds at the Texan 14. Texan's ball.

5:12 left in the 3rd qtr.

Foreman powers for 5.

Foreman stopped for no gain.

On 3rd and 5, quick pass to Fuller gets a few yards but flag is down, illegal shift on the Texans is declined. Texans have to punt.

Punt is brought back to the Titan 21. Titan's ball.

3:27 left in the 3rd qtr.

I love that every media outlet anointed Tennessee in the offseason even though we had owned them in recent years. It was a pick against he texans more than for the titans, but it was still hilarious to me they replaced us with a team who had most of the same issues.

Pass to Murray in the flat goes for no gain.

Murray for 3.

On 3rd and 7, Cassel's pass is off the mark, inc. Titans have to punt.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 27. Texan's ball.

1:46 left in the 3rd qtr.

Slant to Hop goes for 13.

Foreman for about 1 yard.

Foreman goes for 3 but flag is down.....offsides defense, 5 yards. 2nd and 4 coming up at the Texan 46.

End of the 3rd qtr.

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On 2nd and 4, deep pass to Fuller is broken up, inc.

Pass to L Miller goes for 14 and the 1st down.

Foreman for 3.

Foreman for no gain. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to L Miller over the middle draws the PI flag and also a roughing the passer penalty (accepted). Places the ball at the Titan 22, 1st down.

Pitch to Ellington goes to the Titan 9, 1st and goal.

L Miller for 1.

Watson passes to L Miller for TD!

Texans 44, Titans 14

11:19 left in the game.

Put this one in the books, boys.