Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans: 10 Things to Watch for in AFC South Clash
Things got pretty nasty the last time these two teams met, and it was mostly at the expense of the Tennessee Titans.
Now just three weeks later, they'll meet again.
Both teams are hanging by the thinnest thread to make the playoffs, and the loser of this game will be put out of their misery.
The difference is the Texans have shown a lot of heart during their current stretch of losing six of seven games. The same can't be said for the Titans, who have lost six straight.
There will still be plenty to watch for in this battle between two last place teams on Sunday.
Johnson Vs. Finnegan: Round 2
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Everyone remembers the immaturity that both Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan showed in the first meeting between these two teams.
You would think that both coaches will have a long talk with both guys before going out onto the field on Sunday.
However, Jeff Fisher has made it clear that Finnegan will play Johnson tough and that he didn't think Finnegan did anything to warrant a suspension the first time around.
Finnegan hasn't looked like his normal self this season, and Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game.
It's time to put up or shut up for Finnegan. Hopefully he will deliver, because you know Johnson has had this game circled on his calendar ever since Finnegan got under his skin.
Kenny Britt's Second Game Back from Injury
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It will be Kenny Britt's second game back from injury, and he's going against a bad secondary to try to get those numbers back up.
Britt looked good against the Colts if you take out a careless fumble that put the brakes on an important drive.
The Titans need Britt to be that No. 1 guy because we've seen that Nate Washington's hands aren't always that reliable.
On the other hand, Britt has proved that he can catch just about anything that is in his vicinity. Pretty much a poor man's Andre Johnson, no pun intended.
If the Titans are going to hang with the Texans on the scoreboard, Britt will have to play like he was playing before his injury.
Can Randy Moss Finally Step Up?
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Unless Randy Moss was added purely for blocking purposes, then I would say that this experiment has been a bust so far.
Maybe going against the last-ranked pass defense in the NFL will give Moss the chance to get that first touchdown in a Titans uniform.
The arm of Kerry Collins looked pretty good against the Colts last week, so there's no reason for me to think that the ball can't be delivered deep to Moss on this horrible secondary.
We all know the Texans are going to get their 20-plus points, so now it's time to put together a game plan that will allow the Titans to hang with them.
Memo to Jeff Fisher and company: Get Randy Moss more involved in the passing game!!!!!
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Will Jeff Fisher Open Up the Playbook More?
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To follow up on the previous slide, something has to be done with this predictable offensive scheme. There's just nothing really aggressive about it.
We saw the Titans get a little more aggressive in the latter part of the Indy game, and good things happened as a result.
Kerry Collins finished with one of his best games statistically in a long time and showed he can still get it done. Now it's time to give him the keys to the car.
When you look at this offense on paper, there is no reason the Titans should be going through such long droughts without a touchdown.
With their backs to the wall, hopefully the Titans will open things up more. It's time for a Hail Mary to try to save the season. Throw one up and see what happens.
Passing Game Should Do Well Against Horrible Secondary
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The Titans put up a surprising 244 passing yards against the eighth-ranked pass defense of the Colts.
This week should seem a lot easier against a last-ranked Texans secondary that gives up a 300-yard passing game nearly every week.
Luckily Rusty Smith won't be going out this time.
Being as experienced as Kerry Collins is, he should have an easy time locating the likes of Kenny Britt and Nate Washington. Who knows—maybe Justin Gage and Randy Moss will decide to grace us with their presence.
There's definitely no excuse for not throwing the ball in this game.
The Stamina of the Texans After Brutal MNF Game
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The Texans are coming off an emotional loss at home to the Baltimore Ravens. They showed a ton of heart in that game but came up just short.
That could mean one of two things for the upcoming game. They'll either be tired from that game or bounce back with more energy than ever against the Titans.
There's no hiding it. Both teams will be desperate for a win this Sunday, and that usually means good football.
The real question will be which team comes out hard after the opening whistle and hits the other one in the mouth.
The Titans have been on the receiving end of that here lately. They can't let that happen again. This team is not meant to play from behind and never will be as long as Jeff Fisher is running things.
Can Kerry Collins Duplicate His Indy Performance?
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Kerry Collins had one of his best games of recent memory against the Colts last Thursday. Most of his throws were crisp, and his only questionable throw came on a "free play" that ended as an interception.
This guy is a true veteran. He may not be the ideal starter for the Titans at this point in the season, but he's good enough to win games—especially coming against weak secondaries like that of the Texans.
As bad as Rusty Smith was three weeks ago against this Texans secondary, he still put up 138 yards passing. If not for a questionable pass interference call against Randy Moss in the end zone, those numbers could have easily been near 200 yards.
The answer to this question is yes, he very well can duplicate his performance from last week. If he does put up those same numbers, then expect the Titans to end their six-game losing streak.
Rush Defense Will Be Tested Against Arian Foster
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By now you probably know that Arian Foster is the NFL's leading rusher, and he made work of the Titans defense in their first meeting.
Foster put up over 200 yards of total offense just three weeks ago against the Titans, and 143 yards of that came on the ground.
It doesn't help that Tony Brown was placed on injured reserve this week, which means Sen'Derrick Marks will have to most likely step in.
Marks has just 17 tackles all season in limited time. Asking him to fill the shoes of Brown will be no easy task, and I'm sure the Texans are planning to attack that part of the defensive line to test Marks.
It may sound clichéd, but the Titans just have to hope to contain Foster instead of completely shutting him down.
Chris Johnson's Revenge on the Texans D
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Very few teams have been able to completely shut down Chris Johnson like the Texans did in the first meeting. They held Johnson to five yards on seven carries.
In fact, Javon Ringer was the leading rusher for the Titans in this game, not Johnson.
Johnson has to be more motivated than ever to shred up the Texans defense. He's not going to come anywhere close to his goal of 2,500 yards, but a good showing here could at least give him a chance at 1,400-plus yards for the season.
If the Titans passing game clicks like they did against Indy, then there's no reason why Johnson won't easily surpass his five-yard performance.
The fact that Mario Williams won't be lining up for the Texans also helps out Johnson's cause.
The Effects of Losing Eugene Amano and Tony Brown
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It was already tough enough replacing the great Kevin Mawae at center, but now the Titans will have to replace his replacement in Eugene Amano.
The guy stepping in for Amano is Fernando Velasco, who has already gotten some playing time this season from replacing Amano in other games.
Velasco also got a start at left guard in the win over Dallas early in the season.
The injury to Tony Brown hurts a defensive line that has been struggling to get to the passer as of recent weeks.
We'll find out real fast the effects of these two injuries on both sides of the ball.
The running room for Chris Johnson will rely heavily on Velasco's play, and Brown's vacancy could mean increased time in the pocket for an already dangerous passer in Matt Schaub.
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