NASHVILLE – The Titans will face the Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Here's a look at six things to watch in the contest:
Will Levis Momentum
Will Levis returned to the lineup in Week 10, and he's looked like a different quarterback over the past two weeks. Levis is averaging 235.0 yards per game since his return, with a 103.2 rating, a 3-to-1 Pass TD-to-INT ratio and an average of 8.7 yards per attempt. In his first five starts, Levis threw for 139.8 yards per game with a 70.7 rating, a 5-to-7 Pass TD-to-INT ratio, with a 5.6-yard average per attempt. Levis had a season-high 295 passing yards last week. Can Levis keep the positive momentum going against the Texans?
Defense Needs to Be Even Better
While Levis has heated up of late, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has cooled down. Since Week 7, only Caleb Williams (72.2) and Cooper Rush (72.2) have posted a worse passer rating than Stroud (73.9) among QBs with 100-plus pass attempts. The Titans, who are ranked No.1 in the NFL in pass yards allowed (164.6), need to pressure Stroud up the middle, and on the edge. Slowing down Stroud and the Texans receivers, however, is only half the battle. Texans running back Joe Mixon has 764 yards on the season, and 10 rushing TDs in just eight games. The Titans need to be better in the red zone to limit scoring. Would you believe the Titans are the only team in the NFL to allow points (FG or TD) to every opponent red zone drive in 2024? But there's plenty of room for improvement on defense. While the Titans are ranked 2nd overall in total defense (yards), the defense is 26th in scoring, allowing 26.3 points per game. The Titans are ranked 26th in the NFL in sacks (20), and they have only seven takeaways (tied-2nd fewest). The Titans need to step it up even more on D.
Run the Ball Better
Titans running back Tony Pollard has slowed down after a hot start. Pollard managed just 15 yards on nine carries last week against the Vikings, and it was his second straight week with fewer than 10 carries and 50 rushing yards. The Titans need to get the running game cranked up again to take pressure off of Levis, and the offensive line. Pollard leads the Titans with 160 carries for 681 yards and three touchdowns. With Tyjae Spears still in concussion protocol, it looks like Pollard will have to carry the bulk of the load once again.
Can the Titans Protect the QB?
Levis has been sacked 27 times this season while playing behind an offensive line that's really struggle on the right side. Nicholas Petit-Frere is expected to be back in the saddle at right tackle, and he's going to need to be better. Levis was sacked five times last week against the Vikings, and he's been harassed too often in his seven starts. The Texans are third in the NFL in total defense, and they're in the top 10 in sacks per opponent pass attempt. Defensive lineman Denico Autry, formerly with the Titans, will be one of the Texans coming after Levis.
NWI, Again
Titans receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has five touchdowns in the past six weeks. Since Week 6, when Westbrook-Ikhine registered his first touchdown reception of the year against the Colts, he is tied with Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews for the third-most touchdown receptions in the NFL. Only Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase (seven) and Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown (seven) have more than Westbrook-Ikhine in that span. The Titans would love to see NWI find the end zone again, but another positive development has been occurring as well: Calvin Ridley has 24 catches for 368 yards since Week 8, and that's fifth-most in the NFL.
Importance of Week 12
This category, kind of like the Titans season, is on life support right now. The Titans are 2-8, and their playoff hopes are barely flickering. On Sunday, they're a 7 ½ point underdog against the Texans. Since 1990, teams starting 2-8 have never made the playoffs. The 97 teams starting 3-8 have never made the playoffs either. The Titans are going to have to start winning more games to have any kind of shot for postseason play, but, with five AFC South games over the next seven weeks, that didn't keep players from at least discussing it this week. While the Titans haven't been eliminated from playoff contention, the focus should be on finding a way to win a game.
