The Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans meet for their final encounter of the 2022 season.
Week 16 features a slew of games on Christmas Eve, and the Texans and Titans are no exception. Kickoff was delayed an hour and will now begin at 1:02 p.m. Central Time from Nissan Stadium.
The temperature is 19 degrees, sunny, and a 12 mile-per-hour wind in Nashville. Grounds crews cleared light snow from the field ahead of pregame warmups.
The Texans’ inactives revealed that DE Mario Addison would be out against the Titans.
The Titans are 7-7 and have the Jacksonville Jaguars nipping at their heels with a 7-8 mark. The two meet in Week 18. Tennessee can’t afford to drop a game to Houston, who can actually spare a win because their 1-12-1 record is a game and a half ahead of any other team vying for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
First quarter
13:43 — DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and LB Blake Cashman meet at QB Malik Willis for the sack on third-and-13 from the Tennessee 24 to turn the Titans three-and-out on the game’s opening drive.
12:12 — QB Davis Mills sails it over everyone looking for TE Teagan Quitoriano on third-and-8 from the Houston 28. Three-and-out.
8:58 — Sooner or later you knew RB Derrick Henry was going to explode. The two-time NFL rushing champion galloped for a 48-yard touchdown. Extra point is good. 7-0, Titans
6:44 — RB Royce Freeman picks up three yards on first-and-10 from the Houston 36. LG Tytus Howard is injured on the play.
2:30 — The Texans use their first timeout ahead of a third-and-goal from the Titans’ 6-yard line. The Texans run the fumblerooski as Mills fumbles at the 1-yard line but RB Rex Burkhead recovers in the end zone for a touchdown. Extra point is good. 7-7
Second quarter
12:12 — The Texans appeared to take the lead with Mills throwing a 33-yard touchdown to WR Brandin Cooks, but it was nullified by offensive holding on TE Jordan Akins.
6:53 — Houston can’t convert on a third-and-goal from the Titans’ 9-yard line and have to kick a field goal. K Ka’imi Fairbairn nails a 25-yard kick. 10-7, Texans
4:23 — Willis loses a yard on third-and-4 from the Titans’ 45-yard line. There was a holding call on the Titans that would have negated the play anyway. DT Roy Lopez may have gotten away with smacking Willis directly in his face mask to make the tackle.
0:09 — The Texans take a knee to get to halftime. Houston gets the ball to start the second half.
Halftime
Stats
TEXANS
Mills: 5/10, 47 yards; 3 carries, 8 yards
Driskel: 3/3, 40 yards; 1 catch, 4 yards
Freeman: 11 carries, 28 yards; 1 catch, 6 yards
Burkhead: fumble recovery TD
Okoronkwo: 2 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits
TITANS
Willis: 6/8, 38 yards; 2 carries, 2 yards
Henry: 11 carries, 83 yards; 2 catches, 0 yards
Robert Woods: 2 catches, 19 yards
Third quarter
12:30 — The Texans go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Tennessee 47-yard line. However, the formation is shotgun with Driskel, who executes a run-pass option with Freeman, decides to keep it, and then gets stuffed for no gain. Turnover on downs.
8:59 — Willis rushes for a 14-yard touchdown, carrying Texans defenders along the way. The Titans did not face a single third down on the drive. Extra point is good. 14-10, Titans
7:10 — Mills throws an interception to LB Justin Gibbens looking for Cooks. Gibbens returns it seven yards to the Texans’ 40-yard line.
6:10 — The Titans decide to go for it on fourth down from the Houston 38-yard line, and CB Tavierre Thomas tips away Willis’ pass. Turnover on downs.
Fourth quarter
13:53 — LB Jake Hansen strips Henry, and DE Jonathan Greenard recovers at the Houston 42-yard line.
8:11 — The Texans can’t convert a third-and-goal from the Titans’ 9-yard line as Burkhead gets stopped for five yards on a Mills pass.
7:27 — Houston settles for a 22-yard Fairbairn field goal. 14-13, Titans
5:56 — Willis gains two yards on third-and-10 from the Tennessee 21-yard line. The Titans elect to punt.
2:58 — Millsl throws a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cooks. Extra point is good. The two-point try, a pass from Mills to WR Amari Rodgers, falls incomplete. 19-14, Texans
2:00 — On a third-and-3 from the Tennessee 49-yard line, the Titans pick up the first down with Willis scrambling for six yards.
1:39 — LB Christian Harris picks off Willis and returns it to the Tennessee 38-yard line.
1:17 — The Texans have to punt the ball away, but pin the Titans at their own 4-yard line.
0:05 — On first-and-10 from the Texans’ 43-yard line, S Jalen Pitre intercepts Willis to end the game. Texans improve to 2-12-1. The Titans fall to 7-8.
Injuries
6:44, First Quarter — LG Tytus Howard was injured on the play, and went to the blue medical tent. Howard went to the locker room. Howard was questionable to return as he was placed into concussion protocol. Howard was later downgraded to out.
1:54, Second Quarter — The Texans announced TE Teagan Quitoriano was questionable to return with a knee injury. Quitoriano was later downgraded to out.
1:41, Third Quarter — The Texans announced S M.J. Stewart was being evaluated for a concussion.