Official Texans @ Titans Game Thread, 12/15/2019

[Arky]

Sean Pendergast has probably found the one trend that a Texan fan can hang their hat on for this matchup:

4. Bounce back (again)
Deshaun Watson was actually asked the question in his Wednesday press conference about why the Texans have been so good coming off of losses, and have not handled the follow up to wins exceptionally well (with the past two Sundays being the glaring example of this trend), and he took some exception to it, saying that each game is its own entity and that there's really no carryover one way or the other. The pattern, though, is undeniable. The Texans have gone in a loss-win-win pattern all season long. Four times they've gone "loss-win-win" and last Sunday, the loss to Denver was the next logical entry on the ledger. So, the good news is that the Texans SHOULD win the next two games, if you believe in this trend. (Week 17 might be a bit harrowing, though.) The other bit of good news was delved into on Wednesday in this space, in which we outlined that Bill O'Brien's teams have been very good coming off of double digit margin losses (provided the playoffs are still mathematical possibility, which obviously they are) — 10-1 overall, and 8-2-1 ATS. The Texans need these bounce back trends to hold up in what will surely be a raucous and chilly Sunday afternoon in Nashville.

So, there's the lone glimmer of hope that the Texans may surprise.....

[Arky]

Gametime!

Texans to receive the opening kickoff.

Texans drive down the field and get to about the Titan 20 but Watson throws an INT to Vaccaro at the Titan 1 yard line. Titan's ball.

9:28 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Titans get out of the hole and drive down but stall out. Succop attempts a 45-yard FG but the Texans block it.

Texan's ball at the their own 23.

7:07 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

My goodness. Titans were fixin' to score and the ball gets knocked loose from the receiver and Merci catches it in mid-air. He rumbles all the way down to the Titan 12 yard line. Huge change of field position.

Watson hits Stills in the in the end zone for a 12-yard TD!

Texans 7, Titans 0

9:59 left in the half.

[Arky]

Texans put a nice drive together with Hyde doing a lot of good running. Watson hits Stills again for a 16-yard TD to finish it. Well done.

Texans 14, Titan 0

3:14 left in the half.

[Arky]

Texans had a shot at some more points before the half but end up punting it away.

Texans 14, Titans 0

Halftime.

Defense playing very good - so far....

[Arky]

Titans take the 2nd half kickoff and move it down the field. On 4th and 1 at the Texan 1-yard line, Tannehill rolls and keeps for the last yard. Titans burnt a lot of clock on the drive.

Texans 14, Titans 7

5:34 left in the 3rd qtr.