On offense, the Texans’ passing game worked well for almost all of the first half. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw touchdown passes of 19 yards to rookie tight end Cade Stover and 5 yards to leading receiver Nico Collins. Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal made it 17-17 just before halftime.
With time running out in the first half, Ryans wanted the offense to try to score. On second down from the 14, Stroud and John Metchie III had a miscommunication, and the Titans intercepted to set up at the Texans’ 20.
Sacks by Anderson and Hunter, both of whom played outstanding games, left the Titans at their 38. That brought on kicker Nick Folk. At 40, Folk’s at the age when most kickers are barbequing in their backyards on Sunday, but he drilled a 56-yard field goal for a 20-17 halftime advantage.
As he always does, Stroud took the blame for the interception.
“I couldn’t really see Metch,” he said. “I tried to put it in the window, and we just weren’t on the same page. That’s giving them points, which ultimately led us to lose.
“I always point at myself. I’m the leader of the offense. I’ve got to get us rolling. We’ve got to find a better way to end the first half and start the second half. That starts with me taking care of the football and getting into a rhythm — running the ball well, getting us into the right reads and the right looks. I would say that’s how we’re going to get better is I’ve got to be better.”
As has become a nasty habit for the Texans, the offense shut down in the second half. It’s now scored one touchdown in the second half of the last six games dating back to Oct. 13 against New England. That touchdown was against Dallas.
Behind 23-17 in the third quarter, Stroud was intercepted when he missed Collins, giving the Titans the ball at the Texans’ 39.
“(I) put it (too high),” Stroud said. “If I get it to him, Nico has a lot of space to run. Two mistakes I made that can’t happened.”
The interception didn’t hurt the Texans. On the third play, Ward, playing nickel in place of the injured Jalen Pitre (chest), intercepted Levis and returned it for a pick-six and a 24-23 Texans lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Texans boosted their lead after cornerback Kris Boyd recovered a muffed punt at the Tennessee 43. They settled for Fairbairn’s 54-yard field goal. He set an NFL record with his 12th field goal of at least 50 yards.
The 27-23 lead didn’t last long. On the first play of the next possession, Levis threw a short pass to his right to tight end Chig Okonkwo. He caught the ball at his 39 and blew past the linebackers and defensive backs, who looked as if they were running in wet cement. The Titans led 30-27 with 9:35 left in the game.
On the Texans’ next series, Stroud completed passes to Tank Dell for 17 yards and Collins for 16, helping the Texans reach the Tennessee 46. On third down, right guard Shaq Mason couldn’t get to defensive end Ali Gaye, a former Texan, who had a clear path to Stroud for a 10-yard loss that ruined the series.
Punter Tommy Townsend, signed as a free agent from Kansas City, had another exceptional game with a 48-yard gross, a 47.6 net and four inside the 40. He backed up the Titans to their 6, and Hunter’s sack – one of three to go with five tackles for loss – moved them back to their 2.
The Texans started their next drive at the Tennessee 49. After Stroud completed a 16-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz, he connected with Collins for a 33-yard touchdown. For the second game in a row, though, Collins had a touchdown wiped out because of a penalty.
An illegal shift when Dell and Mixon moved at the same time nullified the touchdown. Stroud took the blame for not making clear the call in the huddle, which led to Mixon moving when he wasn’t supposed to.
“It was my fault,” Stroud said. “We had a quick motion with Tank. It was miscommunication on my part in the huddle. Two motions at the same time. Those are things that can’t happen.
“I have to be better in the huddle. I’ve got to give the play better and make sure guys are on the same page. Even when we break the huddle, still communicate a little and make sure everybody’s doing what they’re (supposed to be) doing.”
The Texans were still in good shape. They got a first down at the Tennessee 11 after Stroud connected with Metchie on a 20-yard completion. Then C Jarrett Patterson was called for holding. An 11-yard completion to Stover gave them second down at the 10, but Mixon was stopped for no gain, and Stroud threw incomplete on third down.
Fairbairn entered for what should have been a chip-shot field goal, but he missed wide left from 28 yards.
The Texans got the ball one last time at their 8 after safety M.J. Stewart was called for a 15-yard penalty on a blind-side block on the punt return, his second penalty. Tackle Jeffrey Simmons and outside linebacker Harold Landry II sacked Stroud on second and third down. Simmons destroyed left guard Juice Scruggs, and Landry got Stroud in the back of the end zone for a safety.
Stroud finished 20-of-33 for 247 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a 78.7 rating. It was his fourth consecutive game with a sub-80 rating.
“It’s no secret,” he said. “I’ve got to practice better and play better. I haven’t been playing (to) my standard. It’s up and down. I’ve been focused. I watch as much film as anybody. I’ve got to be hard on myself and realize that games can come down to me making plays. I didn’t make enough, and I gave up the ball twice.
“I’m not going to hold my head down. I’m going to keep my chin up, chest high. I’m still a great player, but I’ve got to put better stuff on the field.”
Going into Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, the same can be said for all the Texans’ players and coaches.