Official Texans @ Titans Game Thread, 1/01/2017

[Arky]

This Sunday, the 9-6 Houston Texans hit the road to Nashville for their final regular season game. They will face the 8-7 Tennessee Titans in a noon game on Sunday. The Texans have 2-5 record (also 2-5 ATS) on the road this year while the Titans have a 4-3 (3-4 ATS) home record.

Titan QB Matt Cassel is expected to make the start for the recently injured Marcus Mariota. Expect Cassel to do quite a bit of handing off to DeMarco Murray (1266 yds, 4.5 avg) and Derrick Henry (425 yds, 4.5 avg.). In the passing game, targets will be Rishard Matthews (831 yds, 14.8 avg.), Delanie Walker (765 yds, 12.8 avg), Tajae Sharpe (522 yds, 12.7 avg.), Kendall Wright (416 yds, 14.3 avg) and Murray coming out of the backfield (379 yds, 7.3 avg). On the other side of the ball, the Titan defense currently ranks 21st giving up 362.1 yds/game and 19th giving up 24.1 pts/game. The Titans are coming off a 38-17 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Texans may rest a few key starters but Coach Bill O'Brien has mentioned that he wants the W in order to increase the Texans three-game winning streak going into the playoffs... The Texans won the first meeting between these two back in Week 4, 27-20 on the strength of a Will Fuller punt return TD.

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TV = CBS (channel 11 local), noon Sunday, Jan 1, 2017

Announcers = Tom McCarthy, Adam Archuleta

The line = Titans by 3

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Other Sunday viewing in the Houston area (it's double double-header day):

CBS (late) = Oakland @ Denver, Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

FOX (early) = Dallas @ Philadelphia, Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

FOX (late) = NY Giants @ Washington, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

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Prime time:

SNF = Green Bay @ Detroit (NBC)

[Arky]

Pendergast breaks it down: NFL Week 17: Texans-Titans — Four Things to Watch For

Week 17 in the NFL is always a little funky, what with about half the teams having nothing but draft positioning to play for. The Houston Texans, your AFC South division champs for the second straight year, don't empirically have an urgent reason to win their game on Sunday in Nashville, as they will be the AFC's No. 4 seed regardless of the outcome.

However, there are three reasons the Texans should be putting forth suitable effort on Sunday, even if their personnel might be slightly tweaked from normal (more on this in a minute):

[Arky]

Texans win the toss and will kickoff.

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Titans bring the opening kickoff back to their 22 yard line. Titan's ball.

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Murray loses 1.

Murray gets 4. Brings up 3rd and 7.

Pass to Walker gets 7 and the 1st down.

Murray for 1.

Murray for 6. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Cassel's pass is batted down by Covington, inc. Titans will have to punt.

Ervin fair catches the punt at the Texan 13 yard line. Texan's ball.

11:17 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Ball marked at the 14.

Blue for 2.

Dump to Blue loses 2. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Savage sacked and fumbles, Titans recover in the end zone, TD Titans.

Titans 7, Texans 0

9:57 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Hunt brings the ensuing kickoff back to the Texan 25 but illegal block in the back on the Texans backs it up 10. Texan's ball at their 13.

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Screen pass to Fuller gets 6. A Titan (Sims) injured on the play. Injury timeout.

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On 2nd and 4, Blue is caught for a loss of 3. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Short pass to Fuller gets 4. Texans will punt on 4th and 3.

Mariani brings the punt back into Texan territory at the Texan 46. Titan's ball.

7:53 left in the 1st qtr.

[Keith]

Texans OL has already checked out. Rest of the team doesn't look too far behind. I don't need to see Blue rush 25 times this game. I'd like to see Savage drop back 35+ times to pass though.

[Arky]

Pass to Matthews gets 10.

Heath with the sack! Loss of 4.

Flags presnap. Delay of game on the Titans, -5. Makes it 2nd and 19 coming up.

Short pass to Murray loses 2. 3rd and 21 coming up.

Cassel can't find a receiver and scrambles for 3. Titans will have to punt.

Punt is fair caught by Ervin at the Texan 14. Texan's ball.

4:37 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Savage pressured, throws inc to Blue. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Blue for 3. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Fido over the middle is off the mark, inc. Texans to punt.

Mariani brings the punt back to the Titan 41. Titan's ball.

3:28 left in the 1st qtr.

[Arky]

Murray for 3.

Cassel's pass sails out of bounds, inc. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Walker is dropped, inc. Titans have to punt.

Ervin brings the punt back to the Texan 19. Texan's ball.

2:26 left in the 1st qtr.

[Big Texas]

Originally Posted by Keith

Texans OL has already checked out. Rest of the team doesn't look too far behind. I don't need to see Blue rush 25 times this game. I'd like to see Savage drop back 35+ times to pass though.

Oline looks the worst it's ever looked..

[Big Texas]

What kind of mess is this? Concussion? Really...so now we are getting concussions from not even getting hit?

[Arky]

Grimes for 3.

Pass to Hop down the sideline is too long, inc. 3rd and 7 coming up.

Pass to Hop gets 7 and the 1st down. (Woohoo!)

Grimes goes right side for 1 tough yard.

Pass to Fido gets 8. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Oy, Grimes comes up about a foot short of the 1st down.

End of the 1st qtr.

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I tell ya, the Texans must lead the league in 4th and 1.....

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Texans going for it ....

Savage keeps for the 1st down. Ball at the Texan 41.

Oz in at QB.

Grimes loses 1 going right.

Checkdown to Grimes gets the 1st down.

Short pass to Griffin goes inc.

On 2nd and 10, deep pass to Hop is caught but out of bounds so inc.

Oz uses a timeout with 13:04 left in the half. 3rd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Mumph crossing over the middle gets 10 and the 1st down.

Pass to Griffin off the mark, inc.

Flags presnap. Defense offsides, +5. 2nd and 5 coming up.

Delay to Grimes loses 2.

On 3rd and 7, short pass gains 1. Texans going for it on 4th and 6.

Oz is sacked. Titans take over on downs at their 40.

10:42 left in the half.

[Arky]

Murray for 2.

Pass to Matthews gets 2. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Walker gets 8 and the 1st down.

Mis-direction handoff to Mariani gets about 15.

Murray caught for no gain.

Cassel's pass is tipped and INT'ed by Demps! Texan's ball at their 40!

7:09 left in the half.

[Arky]

Pass to Hop over the middle good for 15.

Checkdown to Blue goes to the Titan 39. 2nd and 4 coming up.

Blue carries for 4 and the 1st down.

Blue for 4.

Oz's pass is deflected, inc. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Grimes gets almost 4..... Texans going for the FG....

Novak's 45-yard attempt hits the upright, no good.

Score remains:

Titans 7, Texans 0

4:19 left in the half. Titan's ball at their 27.

[Arky]

Ball marked at the Titan 35.

Cassel can't find a receiver and throws it away, inc.

Pitch to Henry going left side gets 7.

Cassel's pass off the mark, inc. Titans will punt with 3:20 left in the half.

Punt goes out of bounds at the Texan 10 yard line. Texan's ball.

[Arky]

Oz still in.

Oz checks out and nearly gets sacked for a safety. Loss of 8, ball at the 2 yard line.

On 2nd and 18, deep pass to Fuller too long, inc.

On 3rd and 18, Oz uses a timeout.

Dump off pass to Griffin gets 1. Texans will have to punt with 2:43 left in the half.

Mariani brings the punt back to the Texan 36. Titan's ball.

[Arky]

Henry for no gain.

2 minute warning.

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Pass to Walker loses 2. 3rd and 12 coming up. Texans out of timeouts. Titans with 1 left.

Offsides on Titans presnap, -5. 3rd and 17 coming up.

Pass to Matthews goes for 25 over the middle, 1st down.

Pass to Matthews gets 7.

Cassel's pass in the end zone can't find a home, inc. 3rd and 3 coming up.

Cassel's pass is inc but flag is down....holding on Nelson give the Titans a 1st and goal at the 5.

Pass to Matthews goes to the 2.

Pass to Matthews in the end zone good for the TD.

Illegal formation on the point-after on the Titans. Makes it a 38-yard point after.

Point-after is good.

Titans 14, Texans 0

23 seconds left in the half.

[Arky]

The ensuing kickoff is a touchback. Texan's ball at their 25.

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Savage back in.

Texan's kneeling it.

Halftime.

Titans 14, Texans 0

[Arky]

2nd half kickoff is brought back to the 19. Texan's ball.

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Oz back in.

Pass to Fido off his hands, inc.

Blue for 4. 3rd and 6 coming up.

Pass to Hop along the sideline good for the 1st down at the Texan 31.

Grimes for about 8 but a flag is down.....holding on defense, 5 yards and an auto 1st down. Ball at the Texan 44.

Pass to Hop along the sideline over his head, inc.

Delay to Blue gets 10.

Pass to Fido off the mark, inc. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to Hop goes all the way to the Titan 19,

Pass to Fuller goes to the 5 yard line. 1st and goal.

Blue for 1. 2nd and goal coming up from the 4 yard line.

Pass to Fido broken up, inc. 3rd and goal coming up.

Pass to Mumph broken up, inc. Texans going for it on 4th down.

Pass to Fido good for the TD! Flag on the play... unsportsmanlike conduct on the Titans will be enforced on the ensuing kickoff.

Titans 14, Texans 7

10:31 left in the 3rd qtr.

[Arky]

Texans try the onside kick and botch it....off sides Texans adds 5 yards to the spot. Titan's ball at their 45.

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Flags presnap. Neutral zone infraction on Heath, -5. 1st and 5 coming up.

Murray for almost 3.

Henry for 2. 3rd and 1 coming up.

Henry goes left side for nice gainer. Ball at the Texan 32.

Henry goes left again for no gain.

Henry for 3.

On 3rd and 7, pass to Walker goes for 15. Ball at the Texan 14.

Checkdown to Henry gets 3.

Henry takes it all the way to the 3 yard line. 1st and goal.

Pass to Walker in the end zone caught but out of bounds so inc. 2nd and goal coming up.

Henry goes left for the TD.

Titans 21, Texans 7

4:44 left in the 3rd qtr.