Texans vs. Titans: What's the Game Plan for Tennessee?

The Tennessee Titans already won their first "revenge" matchup over a divisional opponent when they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars a few weeks ago. Now they'll try to do the same against the Houston Texans, which may complicate their playoff push in the process. 

These two teams met back in Week 8, ending in a 20-6 win for the Texans. Ironically enough, Zach Mettenberger started for an injured Marcus Mariota in that game, too. It will be his fourth career start against the Texans and just his ninth career start overall. 

You can usually throw out all of the stats and what the matchup says on paper when dealing with a divisional game. The Titans need a strong finish to their season to have a little momentum going into 2016 and to build some much-needed confidence for all of the young players.

Stingy defense and prevention of turnovers will be the two key areas for the Titans to finish off the home schedule with a win for the fans.

Offensive Game Plan

With Mettenberger in line for his third start of the 2015 season, the Titans will be limited in some of the things they can do on offense. They won't have that same threat of running the ball or rolling to the outside. However, they will have a quarterback who has all the capabilities of slinging it down the field for long gains.

For that to be accomplished, the Tennessee protection has to be solid. Mettenberger needs a strong pocket to throw in, and that will be no easy task against the Houston defense. Double-teaming Houston defensive end J.J. Watt will be a priority, along with accounting for linebacker Whitney Mercilus. 

Interim head coach Mike Mularkey plans to make adjustments from the teams' November 1 meeting, per ESPN.com: "Obviously, we'll make some adjustments, so it doesn't happen again."

The last meeting marked the last game for former head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and now Mularkey will get his first crack at the Texans as Tennessee's head coach. 

One area that Mettenberger needs to show improvement in is avoiding unnecessary risks. Those are what lead to many of his interceptions, and they usually come under pressure. That's exactly what he'll be up against with Houston's pass rush, and he should already be well aware of that.

Mettenberger has to learn to find his check-down throw more often, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. 

Sometimes the best completion is the one that goes out of bounds, instead of ending up in the hands of the other team. The Titans have to win games with few mistakes and force some of their own in the process.

Not forcing throws into windows that just aren't there is something Mettenberger knows he has to work on, per John Glennon of the Tennessean. "Sometimes you have to fit the ball in a tight window to make a throw where your guy is the only one that can make a catch. But at the same time, you can't force it in there because you can possibly create a turnover."

Receiver Kendall Wright will be a welcomed addition to a passing attack that's been relying heavily on rookie Dorial Green-Beckham on the outside. He's the only perimeter threat, and it's allowing defenses to bring a ton of pressure on the offensive line. 

Green-Beckham has made noticeable improvements as the season has progressed, though. His confidence has also grown, according to Titans offensive coordinator Jason Michael:

"

.@Titans OC Jason Michael said @realdgb playing with a lot more confidence compared to earlier in season

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 24, 2015"

To reduce that pressure, the Titans have to give a reason for defenses to back off. A short passing game can be just as effective as a strong running game.

The Titans haven't had much success running the ball with consistency, but connecting with their receivers on shorter routes can offset that. It would also leave less time for the Texans pass rush to get to Mettenberger. 

It will be interesting to see how much progression and maturity Mettenberger shows in his third start of the season. If he can put together a smart game and not focus on flashy numbers, then the Titans defense can possibly keep the score low enough to deliver a win.

This game hinges on how well Mettenberger plays as a manager and leads on the field for his offense.

Defensive Game Plan

The Titans stand virtually no chance of beating anyone if their defense doesn't turn it around. It's been less than average over the past couple weeks, giving up 30-plus points in its last three games.

The Titans were lucky to sneak out with a win over Jacksonville, despite giving up 39 points. 

The chances of breaking that ugly streak are high, as Brandon Weeden will potentially be the starting quarterback for Houston this week. He's still a newcomer to the Houston offense and looked mediocre in his previous 2015 action with the Dallas Cowboys. 

It's unclear if Brian Hoyer will be cleared to play, as he's still recovering from his concussion:

"

Brian Hoyer has been cleared to practice. O'Brien: We're playing it by ear right now. #Texans

— Deepi Sidhu (@DeepSlant) December 24, 2015"

Obviously, the chances are much better for the Titans defense if Weeden is forced into action over Hoyer. It can get away with bringing much more pressure and raise the probability of creating turnovers.

Hoyer is much smarter with the football, and the Titans will have to be more tactful in pass coverage and blitz packages. Being too aggressive will play right into Hoyer's wheelhouse. He's had success in 2015 throwing the ball 10 yards or more, as he's among the league leaders in average depth per target:

"

Highest average depth of target this yr: Carson Palmer: 11.5 Cam Newton: 11.3 Tyrod Taylor: 10.9 Ben Roethlisberger: 10.4 Brian Hoyer: 10.3

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) December 22, 2015"

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Developing some sort of a pass rush is something the Titans have to reconnect with. It not only leads to negative plays for the offense, but it also keeps the secondary from getting shredded the entire game.

One player that has earned some more playing time is cornerback Cody Riggs. He's played well on special teams and should get more opportunities to make his impact in the secondary. The Titans have nowhere to go but up in this area, and they have to keep exploring what they have in their younger players for next season.

Another positive outing from Perrish Cox will be needed, as he draws the assignment of DeAndre Hopkins, who can single-handedly change the complexion of this game with his explosiveness. Taking away his ability to stretch the field will be important. 

For Tennessee to pull off the minor upset, it will have to be on the back of its defense.

Prediction

Winning in sloppy fashion is usually how 3-11 teams find ways to win. The Texans certainly haven't found their way to 7-7 and first place in the division with a flashy brand of football, and that's how the Titans will approach this game.

Mularkey expects a few key players to return to action this week:

"

Mularkey said Wright and Searcy expected to play @titans

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 24, 2015"

That will provide a huge boost for this lineup on both sides of the ball. 

Facing Weeden would drastically improve the Titans' chances in this one. Weeden has had very little time to get acclimated to the Houston offense, but Hoyer seems to be making a strong push to suit up.

Either way, the Titans will end up with a shaky quarterback situation that will help their defense rebound from some ugly performances against much better offenses.

Mettenberger finally gets over the hump as an NFL starter and makes enough plays to keep the Titans alive into the fourth quarter. The defense will play well enough to grind out this victory, which will instill some important confidence for a young team going forward. 

Prediction: Titans 16, Texans 14