The Tennessee Titans face their hated divisional rival, the Houston Texans, on early Sunday afternoon.
When they played each other in week 4, the Titans were shut out. They are hoping and expecting a much different result this time around.
Here are 3 reasons why the Titans should be optimistic.
Stroud’s out
The big headline for this matchup was the ruling out of starting Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. He is out for a second straight week with a concussion. While he is perceived as the better quarterback, that didn’t stop his backup, Davis Mills, from leading the offense to 36 points and a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The Titans should respect Mills, but he is undoubtedly the lesser QB.
Back-to-back shutouts unlikely
Going back to the first matchup of the season in which the Titans were shut out, it’s highly unlikely to happen again. This offense has been playing better since then. The pass protection has improved, and Cam Ward has made some improvements in the pocket. Even though the Texans are still stout statistically, it is very tough for a team to be shut out twice in a row. That fact, combined with the weirdness of divisional games, plays into the Titans’ favor. One more tidbit is that the Titans have not gone winless in the division since 1982 in a significantly shrunken league, division, and schedule. The divisional win has to come at some point.
A week of rest
A big advantage the Titans have is a sweet week of rest. Obviously, the players are on a grueling regimen, and many on this roster are nursing injuries. Not having a game where most of the injuries are suffered is helpful as well. The rest and recuperation will be very advantageous to the Titans and will provide them a boost this week.