DEFENSE ON THIRD DOWN:The Titans defense limited the Texans offense to four conversions on 15 attempts on third down. The 27 percent conversion rate was the lowest by a Titans opponent since Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21 percent).
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DEFENSE LIMITS HOUSTON TO 270 YARDS: **The Titans defense limited the Texans to 270 total yards, which was the second-lowest total of the season by a Titans opponent (209 against Buffalo on Oct. 11).
RUSHING DEFENSE BEST IN NEARLY TWO YEARS:The Texans rushed for 56 yards on 23 carries, an average of 2.4 yards per attempt. The 56 yards rushing by the Texans made up the lowest total allowed by the Titans defense this season and the lowest since Nov. 10, 2013, when the Jacksonville Jaguars rushed for only 54 yards at Nissan Stadium.
PENALTY YARDAGE DOWN AGAIN:For the second consecutive week, the Titans were penalized 45 yards, tying for their lowest penalty yardage total of the season.
BACK ON THE ROAD:The Titans played their first road game since Sept. 20 at Cleveland. They went five weeks (four home games and a bye) without a road contest for only the fourth time in franchise history (1960, 1964 and 1967).
OPENING-DRIVE SCORE:The Titans capped their opening drive with a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Succop. It marked the third time in 2015 the Titans scored on their opening drive. Their previous first-drive scores were a touchdown on Sept. 13 at Tampa Bay and a field goal against Miami on Oct. 18.
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ANDREWS LEADS IN RUSHING AGAIN: Second-year running backAntonio Andrews **led the Titans and set a new career high in rushing yards for the second consecutive week. He recorded 16 carries for 64 yards, including a career-long run of 28 yards in the third quarter, and he added three receptions for 18 yards. In the previous game against the Atlanta Falcons, Andrews led the offense with 57 rushing yards on 10 attempts.
WALKER LEADS IN RECEIVING FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK:Tight end Delanie Walker led the team with six receptions for 62 yards. It was the third consecutive week in which Walker led in both receptions and receiving yards after recording eight catches for 97 yards against the Miami Dolphins (Oct. 18) and 55 yards on seven receptions against the Atlanta Falcons (Oct. 25).
LOONEY STARTS: Joe Looney became the third center to start this season for the Titans. Less than two weeks after being signed as a free agent, Looney was in the lineup in place of Andy Gallik, who left the previous game with a head injury. Brian Schwenke started the first five games before being placed on injured reserve. For Looney, the game at Houston marked his fifth career NFL start.
MILESTONE FOR STEVENS:Tight end Craig Stevens appeared in his 100th career game in the regular season. He caught one pass for nine yards.
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McCLUSTER SHOULDERS LOAD ON RETURNS: Running backDexter McClusterrecorded 162 combined net yards against the Texans, including 63 yards on five punt returns (12.6 average), 61 yards on two kickoff returns (30.5 average), 23 yards on four receptions (5.8 average) and 15 yards on three rushing attempts (5.0 average). In the second quarter, he returned aShane Lechler** punt 37 yards, marking McCluster's longest return of the season and his longest since a 48-yarder against the Texans on Oct. 26, 2014.
KERN'S NET AVERAGE 13TH BEST IN TEAM HISTORY: Brett Kern punted seven times for 349 yards, recording a gross average of 49.9 yards per punt and a net average of 45.9 yards per punt. He also placed three punts inside the 20. Six of his seven punts went at least 50 yards or pinned the Texans inside the 20. His 45.9 net average was the 13th best single-game performance on record for the team (since 1976, minimum four punts) and gave Kern 11 of the franchise's top 15 net punting games.
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SUCCOP'S STREAK AT 13: Ryan Succop** was successful on both of his field goal attempts at Houston, connecting on kicks of 35 and 44 yards. Dating back to the 2014 season, Succop has made 13 consecutive field goals, including all seven attempts in 2015.
ORAKPO NOTCHES THIRD SACK OF SEASON:Late in the first half, outside linebackerBrian Orakporecorded his third sack of the season, taking down Brian Hoyer for a seven-yard loss. It gave the seventh-year veteran 43 career sacks.
KLUG TALLIES SECOND SACK OF SEASON:In the second quarter, Karl Klug notched his second sack of the season, dropping Brian Hoyer for an eight-yard loss on third down. It gave the fifth-year defensive lineman 16.5 career sacks.
SAMMIE HILL RETURNS:For the first time in 2015, Sammie Hill was back in action for the Titans. The seventh-year nose tackle missed most of the preseason and the first six games of the regular season with a knee injury.
INACTIVES: The Titans' seven inactive players were quarterback Marcus Mariota, cornerback Perrish Cox, running back Terrance West, offensive lineman Quinton Spain, wide receiver Harry Douglas, defensive end Ropati Pitoitua and defensive lineman Mike Martin. Mariota (knee), Cox (hamstring) and Douglas (ribs) were listed on the injury report leading up to the game.
