Official Texans @ Titans Game Thread, 12/24/2022

[Keith]

Freeman's back. First two runs go for 3 and -3. Yay. Akins catches the third down target well short. Punt goes 48 yards to Woods who fair catches at the TEN 10.

Henry gets 2 yards apiece on his first two runs. Willis is pressured on third down by Okoronwo before finding Woods just short of the marker. Punt flies for 61 yards, returned for 11 by King to the HOU 31.

Texans offense has been sluggish this quarter. Three more incompletions. Cam Johnston punts, Woods takes it back 10 yards to the TEN 31.

Willis finds Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for 14 yards. Third quarter ends on a 4-yd run by Henry, good hit by Jalen Pitre. Henry might have gone the distance had Pitre not stopped him.

FUMBLE! Henry rumbles for what seemed like a big gain but fumbles along the way. Forced and recovered by rookie LB Jake Hansen at the HOU 42.

Mills picks out Phillip Dorsett for 18 to the Titans' 35. Ogunbowale picks up a first of his own to the 23. Dorsett has another reception of 7 yards to the 16. Ogunbowale gives them 1st and goal from the 10, then gets 4 more to the 6-yd line. Mills is sacked by Denico Autrey back to the 10. 3rd and goal, pass to Burkhead only gets to the 5.

Fairbairn's 22-yd field goal is good.

13-14, Titans
7:25 left in the game

[Keith]

Howard's injury replacement, Jimmy Morrissey, is also in concussion protocol. Justin McCray fills in for him.

Titans go three-and-out. Willis stumbles on a 3rd down carry. High punt is returned 6 yards to the HOU 27 with 5 minutes to play.

Dorsett adjusts to an underthrown ball for a 20-yard gain to the Titans' 47. Mills goes deep again and finds Amari Rodgers for 37 yards! Puts the offense at the 10-yard line. Pitch to Freeman for 4. Mills to Cooks for a 6-yard TD at the back of the endzone. Penalty for hands to the face is declined!

Texans go for two. Three wide to the right, Mills hits none of them. They are now 0-4 in two-point conversion attempts this season.

And yet another 4th quarter with the lead or tie for this 1-win team. Hmm.

Texans 19-14
2:52 remaining in the game

[Keith]

Henry goes for runs of 6 and 11 yards. At the TEN 42, Willis is pressured by Jonathan Greenard and throws the ball at his feet. No call for grounding. Willis keeps for 7 yards to the 49. Two minute warning.

Willis runs for a first down at the HOU 45.

INTERCEPTION!!!

LB Christian Harris makes his first interception a memorable one. Returns it to 38 with 1:33 remaining.

Mills can't handle the center exchange but is able to fall on it. Play flagged for illegal formation, declined. But the clock stops at 1:30. Freeman carry loses 2, Titans use their first timeout with 1:23. 3rd and 12, Driskel keeps it for 2. The Texans choose to punt over a 55-yard field goal attempt. Johnston pooches a beaut, downed by Tremon Smith at the Titans' 4. with 1:10 remaining.

First down pass by Willis is deflected incomplete. 2nd down complete to Woods for 6. Third down attempt is complete for 8, and the Titans have to use their final timeout at 0:38. Texans then call their first timeout.

At the Titans' 18, Willis miraculously escapes for a 9-yard pass. Then completes again for 20 yards and gets a facemaks penalty courtesy of Greenard for an extra 15 yards to the HOU 43.

With 0:05 remaining, Lovie calls his second timeout to plan a hail mary defense, hopefully just says DON'T DPI. Pitre picks it off and kneels to end the game.

Merry Christmas, Titan fans.

Texans 19-14
Final

[Keith]

Stats

Mills 17/28 178, 1 TD, 1 INT, 76.2 QBR
Driskel 3/4 40

Freeman 16-32
Ogunbowale 8-28

Cooks 4-34, TD
Dorsett 3-45
Akins 3-39

Pitre 9 tkl, 1 INT
Harris 6 tkl, 1 INT
Okoronkwo 5 tkl, 2 sacks, 3 TFL
Collins 3 tkl, 2 TFL
Hansen 3 tkl, 1 FF

TOP 33:03