Order in the universe was restored on Sunday afternoon in Nashville.
The Texans won another road division contest--the 11th in a row--23-14, over the Tennessee Titans.
Let's take a look at three of the biggest plays in this win over the Oil…I mean, Titans.
1st Quarter - Texans ball
7:48 remaining
No score (not for long)
3rd and goal
+2 yard-line
The Texans had moved the ball down the field on one of their best marches to begin any game this season. But at the Titans 1-yard line, Houston was erroneously called for a delay of game that put the ball back to the six. After a Joe Mixon run took the ball back to the 2-yard line, the Texans put 12 personnel on the field. Originally, the Texans started with a Cade Stover-Irv Smith-Robert Woods trips bunch to the right side. WR Nico Collins was the lone receiver to the left side until Stover went in motion to join him.Then Smith went in motion to join them on the left side. QB C.J. Stroud faked a run to Mixon and then had a high-low situation in the left corner of the end zone. Smith ran to the flat, Collins took his route deeper into the end zone. Those routes put CB Chidobie Awuzie in a bind. Stroud took advantage, floating the ball over Awuzie to Nico for the first TD of the day.
2nd Quarter - Texans ball
14:07 remaining
Texans ahead 7-0
1st and ten
-8 yard-line
After a Calen Bullock interception was somehow overturned on a third down Will Levis inaccurate toss, the Titans punted to the Texans and downed the ball inside the 10-yard line. On first down, the Texans came out in a balanced 12-personnel look with WR Xavier Hutchison and an in-line TE to the right, WR Robert Woods and an in-line TE to the left. The Texans ran inside zone to the right side and RB Dameon Pierce did a tremendous job reading and cutting off of his blocks. C Jarrett Patterson did a tremendous job doubling the DT out of the hole and getting up to the linebacker level. LG Tytus Howard did a GREAT job sealing off the backside defensive tackle. I mean, that was a GREAT block! LT Laremy Tunsil got just enough of a shot on a Titans LB and Pierce cut back behind Tunsil's block…and was off like a track star. Titans S Daryl Worley was stuck in quicksand as Pierce sped past him. Then it turned into a race to the goal line with S Mike Brown…and Dameon won. The Texans took a 13-0 lead and never looked back.
4th Quarter - Titans ball
14:04 remaining
Texans ahead 16-6
2nd and five
-45-yard line
Levis had just given the "spread the money" sign after a first down throw so he was feeling himself, apparently. The Titans had picked up five on first down and came out in 11 personnel (one RB, one TE). TE Nick Vannett and WR Bryce Oliver were aligned in a TE-wing position on the right side. There was a condensed twins formation to the left side. Oliver went in short motion and Levis took the snap and tried to stick it into Oliver's belly on the speed sweep. But the Titans QB was late with it and essentially threw it into Oliver's chest. Predictably, the ball bounced away as Texans DE Derek Barnett hit the Titans WR. Barnett noticed that the ball was loose and no one was anywhere close to him. He eventually corralled the bouncing pigskin, snatching it around the Titans 36-yard line. Then, he started running. He looked at first like he was going to lateral it. Then, he thought better of it and kept running. LB Neville Hewitt put Oliver on his wallet with one of the best blocks of the day. Eventually, Titans slot WR Mason Kinsey caught up to Barnett at the 12-yard line. Barnett carried the poor Titan WR into the end zone for his second touchdown of the year. My gosh, that was a fun moment to essentially end this one.
Barnett was brilliant on Sunday - perhaps his best game as a Texan. So happy that he had a chance to finish it with his second TD.
On to the playoffs!!
