The Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans will meet for the first time in 2023 when they do battle at Nissan Stadium on Sunday.
This game has a little extra juice, seeing as how the Titans are wearing their Houston Oilers throwbacks, which is, to say the least, a point of contention among Texans fans and Houston sports fans in general.
Unfortunately, this game doesn’t have as much excitement as it could’ve after the Texans ruled out star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, which robs us of a matchup between two up-and-coming quarterbacks, with the other being Tennessee rookie signal-caller, Will Levis.
If the Titans want to win this game against their division rival, they need to do the following three things:
Air it out
The best way to attack the Texans is through the air, where they own the seventh-worst pass defense in the NFL. Making matters worse for Houston, standout rookie defensive end Will Anderson and the team’s top coverage linebacker, Blake Cashman, have been ruled out.
Like the Titans, the Texans have struggled with giving up explosive pass plays (20-plus yards), so look for quarterback Will Levis to push the ball downfield, assuming the offensive line can hold up its end of the bargain.
Put it all on Case Keenum
Veteran signal-caller Case Keenum has proven to be a solid backup during his career, but he’s a clear downgrade from fellow quarterback C.J. Stroud and is certainly someone Tennessee’s defense should be able to stop.
The one thing the Titans can’t do is allow running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary to lend a helping hand by ripping off chunks of yardage on the ground.
It’s crucial that Tennessee forces Keenum to win this game with his arm while throwing to a receiving corps. that is depleted due to injuries.
Win on the right side
Houston will be without starting right tackle George Fant, who has been ruled out due to injury. Taking his place is former fourth-round pick and tackle, Charlie Heck, who hasn’t played a single offensive snap in 2023.
Heck figures to be the weakest link for the Texans upfront and might have some rust to shake off, thus the Titans need to go after him, and especially early on before he has a chance to settle.
Ideally, the Titans can win the one-on-one matchup, but they can make things even more difficult for Heck by blitzing on his side.
If Tennessee’s can win that matchup, Keenum will be under pressure all game long, which will only increase the chances for mistakes and, ultimately, a Titans win.
