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Titans-Texans Game Notes

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YEAR 20 AT NISSAN STADIUM: The Titans launched their 20th regular season at Nissan Stadium since the venue opened in 1999. The team is 88-69 all-time there, including playoffs.

WINNING AT NISSAN STADIUM: With their victory over the Texans, the Titans won for the 11th time in their 13 most recent games at Nissan Stadium. Their home winning percentage of .846 is the best in the NFL in that timeframe (since Oct. 27, 2016).

IN THE DIVISION AT NISSAN STADIUM: In their seven divisional home games since the beginning of the 2016 campaign, the Titans have won six times. They have not lost a home game against the AFC South since falling to the Colts on Oct. 23, 2016. 

FIVE CONSECUTIVE DIVISION WINS: The victory over the Texans gave the Titans five consecutive wins within the AFC South. They have not lost a division game—home or away—since they lost at Houston on Oct. 1, 2017.

VICTORY FOR VRABEL: Mike Vrabel recorded his first career victory as a head coach. He was hired as the 19th head coach in franchise history on Jan. 20, 2018.

EATING CLOCK: With the score tied 17-17, the Titans took over at their own 25-yard line with 6:41 on the clock to begin what would be the game-winning drive, courtesy of Ryan Succop's 31-yard field goal. They marched 62 yards on 12 plays, consuming 5 minutes and 41 seconds. It was the most time-consuming drive of the game for either team. 

STARTER AT QB: With Marcus Mariota ailing with an elbow injury suffered in the season opener at Miami, veteran backup Blaine Gabbert recorded his first start in a Titans uniform and his 46th career start. Gabbert finished the game with 13 completions and 117 yards on 20 attempts with one touchdown and no interceptions. His passer rating of 97.3 was the third-highest rating of his career in games with at least 20 passing attempts. In the first quarter, he recorded an 18-yard scoring strike to Taywan Taylor to give him his first touchdown pass of 2018 and the 45th touchdown pass of his eight-year career.

GAME-WINNING DRIVE: Blaine Gabbert led a 12-play, 62-yard drive in the fourth quarter that included Ryan Succop's game-winning field goal. It gave Gabbert his sixth career game-winning drive. 

TAYWAN TAYLOR TOUCHDOWN: Near the end of the first quarter, wide receiver Taywan Taylor took a short pass from Blaine Gabbert and raced 18 yards for a touchdown. Taylor notched his first touchdown of 2018 and the second touchdown of his career. Taylor's game totals included three receptions for 32 yards.

FIVE CATCHES FOR DAVIS: Second-year wide receiver Corey Davis led the Titans with five receptions for 55 yards, including a key 18-yard catch to help set up the game-winning field goal. It was Davis' second consecutive game to begin the season with a least five receptions after posting six catches at Miami on Sept. 9. Davis now has five career games with at least five receptions, including one in the postseason. 

BYARD TO CRUIKSHANK FOR SIX: In the first quarter, the Titans lined up in punt formation from their own 34-yard line. Safety Kevin Byard lined up in the backfield as the personal protector, took the snap, and then lobbed a pass to rookie safety Dane Cruikshank down the right sideline. Cruikshank raced to the end zone to make it a 66-yard touchdown pass. Byard became the first primarily defensive player in franchise history to record a touchdown pass, while Cruikshank became the first primarily defensive player in team annals to record a touchdown reception.

BYARD'S TOUCHDOWN PASS RECORD SETTER: Kevin Byard's 66-yard touchdown pass to Dane Cruikshank was the longest by a defensive player in the Super Bowl era. The previous long was held by Los Angeles Rams defensive back Ed Meador, who had an 18-yard touchdown pass at Atlanta on Nov. 19, 1967.

FOUR TOTAL SACKS: The Titans sacked Deshaun Watson four times, giving the defense its first four-sack game since Dec. 10, 2017 at Arizona (eight).

FIRST CAREER PICK FOR JACKSON: In the second quarter, on a Deshaun Watson pass intended for DeAndre Hopkins in the end zone, Titans cornerback Adoree' Jackson made a leaping grab to notch his first career interception.

MULTIPLE SACKS FOR CASEY: On the first possession of the game, defensive tackle Jurrell Casey ended a Texans drive with a two-yard sack of Deshaun Watson. On the play, Casey became the 10th player in franchise history to reach 40 career sacks. In the third quarter, Casey stripped the ball from Watson for a sack and his sixth career forced fumble (recovered by the Texans). Casey's two sacks in the game tied his career high and gave him 41 career sacks. It marked Casey's ninth career game with two sacks.

RYAN BLITZES FOR SACK: In the first quarter, cornerback Logan Ryan blitzed and took down Deshaun Watson for his first sack in a Titans uniform. The play, which was good for a seven-yard loss, gave Ryan 3.5 career sacks.

SACK BY CORREA: Outside linebacker Kamalei Correa recorded a five-yard sack of Deshaun Watson in the third quarter. It was Correa's second sack in as many weeks. The third-year veteran notched his first career sack in the season opener at Miami.

SUCCOP GOOD TWICE IN FOURTH QUARTER: Ryan Succop made field goals of 42 yards and 31 yards in the fourth quarter to give him four consecutive made field goals to begin 2018. Succop has made seven consecutive successful field goals in the regular season dating back to the end of 2017.

GAME WINNER: With his 31-yard field goal with a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Ryan Succop registered his eighth career game-winning field goal and his third game-winner as a member of the Titans.

TYPICAL KERN: Brett Kern punted five times for a 52.2-yard gross average and a 47.2-yard net average, including a long of 62 yards. He recorded his 12th career game with at least a 52.0-yard gross average and his 11th career game with at least a 47.0-yard net average (minimum four punts). 

PRUITT GOES AGAINST FORMER TEAM: Less than a week after being signed off Houston's practice squad on Sept. 10, third-year tight end MyCole Pruitt played as a reserve for the Titans against the Texans. 

TOP PICKS HIT THE FIELD: In the season opener at Miami, the Titans' top two draft picks, first-round inside linebacker Rashaan Evans (hamstring) and second-round outside linebacker Harold Landry III (ankle), were inactive due to injuries. Against the Texans, the rookies made their NFL debuts. Landry played as a reserve on defense, while Evans was on the field on special teams.

FIRST CAREER GAME FOR MARZ: With veterans Jack Conklin, Taylor Lewan and Dennis Kelly sidelined with injuries, second-year offensive lineman Tyler Marz was called up from the practice squad on Saturday leading up to the game. The former undrafted free agent from Wisconsin saw his first career action, getting the start at right tackle. 

PAMPHILE RECORDS FIRST START AT LEFT TACKLE: Veteran Kevin Pamphile filled in for Taylor Lewan as the starter at left tackle. Pamphile, who was signed during the offseason as an unrestricted free agent from Tampa Bay, recorded his 34th career start in five NFL seasons. It was his first career start at left tackle. 

ONE SACK ALLOWED: With Kevin Pamphile starting for the first time in his career at left tackle and Tyler Marz playing his first career game at right tackle, the Titans allowed only one sack against the Texans, an eight-yard sack by linebacker Duke Ejiofor in the third quarter. The interior of the Titans offensive line was intact with left guard Quinton Spain, center Ben Jones and right guard Josh Kline.  

INACTIVES: The Titans' inactive list included safety Kendrick Lewis, wide receiver Cameron Batson, linebacker Aaron Wallace, defensive end Matt Dickerson and tackles Jack Conklin, Taylor Lewan and Dennis Kelly. Lewis (foot), Conklin (knee), Lewan (concussion) and Kelly (illness) were ruled out on the injury report prior to the contest.

The Tennessee Titans take on the Houston Texans in Week 2 of the 2018 season on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 at Nissan Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)

The Tennessee Titans prepare to take on the Houston Texans in Week 2 of the 2018 season on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 at Nissan Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)

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