Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans: 10 Things Texans Fans Should Watch For

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Round Two between Cortland Finnegan's Tennessee Titans (5-8) and the NFL’s crème de la crème receiver Andre Johnson's Houston Texans (5-8) takes a back seat on the national scale with many marquee matchups in Week 15, most notably the Jets at Steelers, Packers at Patriots, Eagles at Giants, Saints at Ravens and Jaguars at Colts, but also heats up in another case with the rivalry reunion and the loser officially being eliminated from playoff contention. 

The winner of this division duel will also have to win out and receive help from Indianapolis losing its last two and Jacksonville losing out completely to sneak away as AFC South Champions.

It’s a stretch but still theoretically possible for Sunday’s lucky victors.  Here are the 10 things Houston fans should watch for in Round Two of the Titans and Texans in no particular order.

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Potential Flash of Red

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I haven’t heard word yet on the plans for this week’s uniforms, but don’t be surprised to see the Texans come out like the ketchup bottles in the Monday night overtime thriller against Baltimore or the reds on top (with white pants) from last season’s get-together with the Titans. 

However this won’t be an option if Tennessee doesn’t show up in its set of white jerseys.

Another Bang-Up Job By CB Glover Quin

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About four weeks ago I got on Texans CB Glover Quin’s case, saying he should be removed from the starting position.

Quin had given up two game-winning touchdowns back-to-back weeks versus Jacksonville and the N.Y. Jets, in addition to allowing the biggest plays of any other defender on the team for weeks. 

The second-year corner responded by picking up his first career interception against (the very) Rusty Smith and Tennessee just a week later.  Not only that, but he added two picks in the same day. 

Whether or not he read my post or not is unknown, but his performance blew me away.  

Quin followed with a very solid game against Michael Vick and the Eagles and a stellar showing against Anquan Boldin and the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night.  So what can we expect from him this week in Round 2 against the Titans?  Probably something between the level of play in the game against the Ravens and previous match with the Titans.  In short, very good.  

Both Head Coaches Put It On the Line

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This game may seem to have little on the line to the average fan on paper, but has ample importance to two head coaches that are miles apart from a comfy sofa, now sitting with agony on a burning hot and grease-covered skillet. 

The losing coach could receive the final strike, forcing him out of his position at the end of the season, especially if it’s Gary Kubiak. 

Improvement From RB Chris Johnson

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Chris Johnson (aka CJ2K) was non-existent in the first meeting at Houston three weeks ago, being limited to just five yards on seven carries. 

While I wouldn’t suspect a performance similar to that of Texans RB Arian Foster, improvement from that weak Week 12 performance is inevitable for the young superstar.

Big Plays From WR Kenny Britt

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Up-and-coming second year standout receiver Kenny Britt is pretty legit. 

After being out with an injury for eight weeks, Britt made his return to the field last Thursday night in the thrilling loss to Indianapolis.  He reeled in just four catches for 39 yards but wasn’t at a full 100 percent. 

Britt accumulated seven receptions for 225 yards with three TDs against Philadelphia in his last game at full health (Week 7). 

Albeit Rusty Smith might be lining up at QB, Britt will be going head-to-head with one of the league’s worst defenses against the pass, so don’t expect a light impression.

How Well The Defense Holds Up Without Mario Williams

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It was announced earlier in the week that perennial Pro Bowl DE and the leader of the Texans defensive line, Mario Williams has been placed on IR (Injured Reserve) and is out for the rest of the year. 

This will prove to be a difficult test of adversity for a defense that also lost Connor Barwin and Demeco Ryans, albeit it has made some strides over time this season. 

In will be interesting to see how Brian Cushing, Amobi Okoye, Bernard Pollard and a few of the leaders handle the task without one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers and all around defenders (who looks like a giant in the picture to your left).

Can Randy Moss Finally Help His Team Find A “W”?

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I knew it.  It was inevitable. 

Much of the media and pundits believe Randy Moss would have a terrific, earth-shattering type of performance when he joined Jeff Fisher and Tennessee. 

But it was as clear as day it was going to be a murder-suicide. 

His impact has been earth-shattering, but in the sense of a horrendous earthquake. 

Since joining the Titans, they haven’t won a game.  The Vikings may have won one game when Moss was with them earlier in the year. 

And as for New England, the team that traded him away...they’ve gone unbeaten since and have become unquestionably the best team in the NFL (outside of the state of Georgia). 

So can this former elite receiver put an end to the drama and spreading of disease?  I seriously doubt it.  He’s like the plague; arguably worse than the decision to team up T.O. and Chad Ocho-no-show. 

A Fast Start From Houston(?)

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What’s the biggest reason the Texans won’t be making the playoffs (barring absolute disarray for Jacksonville and Indianapolis)? 

The sluggish starts.  Houston has the talent to be where it should—8-5—despite the arduous schedule.  It makes me wonder what would happen if the team pursued the “two-minute” style of offense (which excels every week) at the beginning of the game. 

If Kubiak implements this new system the next three games of the season and becomes successful, with the Texans finishing at .500 and knowing this will result in finding wins next season and beyond, it’s the only reason I would believe he should remain the head coach for another year. 

After receiving loads of attention from the local media about his job on the hot seat, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this method tried as the season draws to a disappointing end. 

Good Commentary, Quite a Few Yellow Hankies and a Medium Score

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Leading up to the biggest thing to expect, I decided to hit several different types of birds with one stone. 

In this rematch of Houston’s 20-0 knockout last month, look for quite a number of penalties from both teams, some high-quality commentary from Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots (12pm CT on CBS) and an all around solid performance from both teams in every phase, creating a medium type score. 

Based on My General Interpretation….

A Low Score: 17-13

A Medium Score: 27-21

A High Score: 38-31

More Post-Play Collisions in Round 2

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I’ve saved the best for last.  The incident(s) that made the headlines around the league in Week 12. 

The fracas between Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan as well as some other fights that broke loose during the get-together in late November.  Watch out for more of the same. 

I wouldn’t anticipate Andre losing his cool and giving Cortland another beatdown and set of punches, but there’s definitely going to be some relentless pushing and shoving after the plays that just may recapture some of the headlines. 

Prediction: Houston 27, Tennessee 17

Verse of This Piece

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“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don’t use your mouth to tell lies; don’t ever say things that are not true.  Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good.” —Proverbs 4:23-25

Formerly known as Sportscaster007, My Dad’s Son has a written a verse with nearly every article since he began with his 50th piece. 

This is just something small to illustrate his glory for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Though you are under absolutely no obligation to read the scripture(s) I include, I believe this will be of benefit to your life and hope this will inspire someone to speak out about their love for God, without fear, and perhaps one day start somewhat of a trend.  God Bless and Carpe Diem!