The Tennessee Titans were in Houston on Sunday to take on the Texans in the final regular season game for both teams. The Texans came in already locked in to at least the No. 4 seed in the AFC with a shot at No. 3. Meanwhile, the Titans came in with a win-and they-are-in scenario.
Derrick Henry was back for the Titans after Mike Vrabel sat him to rest his ailing hamstring in Week 17. The Texans sat Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins to keep them from any unnecessary hits or injuries ahead of next week’s playoff game.
The Texans got the ball first. Quarterback A.J. McCarron, in his first start since 2015, drove his team 75 yards in 15 plays. The drive was capped off with a Duke Johnson one-yard touchdown run. Texans 7-0
Powering in for SIX and the early lead!@DukeJohnson_8 | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/TpgxAJmhHQ
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 29, 2019
The Titans would respond when Ryan Tannehill connected with A.J. Brown. Brown caught the pass and took it to the house for a 51-yard touchdown. Tied 7-7
Give this man the Rookie of the Year! 🏆@Brown1arthur | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/AeSJ1zYGvU
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
After forcing a Texans punt, the Titans drove 90 yards in 16 plays with Henry carrying the ball eight times. There was also a Marcus Mariota sighting for the first time since Tannehill took over as the starter. Mariota would connect with Brown on a 26-yard pass on a trick play. Tannehill found tight end MyCole Pruitt for a one-yard touchdown. Titans 14-7
Marcus Mariota connects with @Brown1arthur to put the rookie over 1,000 yards receiving on the season. 😎 #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/g8xeCM2DVZ
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
Ryan Tannehill ➡️ MyCole Pruitt! 🙌🏽@flyyCole_x4 | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/iK16nR2DrX
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
That score would remain the same until the end of the first half. The Titans got the ball first in the second half. Henry would score from three yards out to cap off a 10-play, 78-yard drive. Titans 21-7
FEED THE KING 👑 @KingHenry_2 | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/F7F9TWKf4I
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
The Texans answered back with a 16 play, 75-yard drive of their own. McCarron would run it into the end zone from one yard out. Titans 21-14
AJ does it himself!@10AJMcCarron | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/lAMMXtZNff
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 29, 2019
The ensuing Titans drive was capped off by a Henry one-yard touchdown run. The big play on the drive was a 47-yard pass from Tannehill to Brown that saw him make an amazing catch at the one-yard line. Titans 28-14
INSANE CATCH! 🤯@Brown1arthur | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/z71X2J4r53
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
The KING will not be denied! 👑@KingHenry_2 | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/9tM8AHAbFw
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
After exchanging a pair of punts, Tennessee safety Kevin Byard picked off a McCarron pass on fourth down to give his team the ball with 3:30 left in the game. Four plays later, Henry scampered 53 yards for a touchdown, sealing the victory for the Titans.
👑 KING RUNS 👑 pic.twitter.com/MZ7DkYu3Pr
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 30, 2019
Final: Titans 35, Texans 14
Takeaways
Titans
- Rushing title
Prior to his 53-yard touchdown run, Henry was eight yards from capturing the rushing title. Vrabel told him how close he was just before that play and Henry followed through, ending the game with 32 carries for 211 yards and three touchdowns.
HENRY! HENRY! HENRY!
The @NFL’s rushing crown lives in Nashville! 👑 @KingHenry_2 pic.twitter.com/YiB7sujHEi
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 30, 2019
- Making his case for Rookie of the Year
With Josh Jacobs sidelined again, A.J. Brown did what he could to make the voters think twice. He finished the game with four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
My face after that @Brown1arthur #ToeDragSwag ~~~> 👀🏈👣@Titans vs @HoustonTexans pic.twitter.com/LaIepnAmlA
— Nathaniel E Burleson (@nateburleson) December 29, 2019
.@Titans WR A.J. Brown (@Brown1arthur) joined Isaac Curtis (1973), Willie Gault (1983) and @ProFootballHOF Randy Moss (1998) as the only rookies with at least four touchdown receptions of 50 yards or more since 1970. #NFL100 #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/s7RSKYly00
— NFL345 (@NFL345) December 29, 2019
- For the first time
With the victory, Ryan Tannehill made it to the playoffs for the first time in his career. He finished the game 13 of 20 for 198 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Fan love from @ryantannehill1 💙 pic.twitter.com/T8Y35G8dEy
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 30, 2019
Texans
- Nothing to gain
With the exception of the opening drive, the second team didn’t do much of anything, which no one expected them to. - McCarron is a backup for a reason
It had been more than four seasons since he started a game and it showed. He was very uncomfortable, running to avoid defenders all game. - The secondary was banged up
A few players got banged up in the game, so we’ll have to wait and see if this affects their availability for next week.
The Titans, with the win plus with the Miami upset of New England, travel to Foxborough to take on the Patriots. The Texans will host the Buffalo Bills in their wild card matchup.
“The boys are going to the playoffs!”@TaylorLewan77 | #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/LWT546IZib
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 30, 2019
INSANE CATCH! 🤯@Brown1arthur | #TENvsHOU pic.twitter.com/z71X2J4r53
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 29, 2019
