How Texans faceplant versus Titans is a grave wake-up call for Houston
TEXANS ON TAP
24 November 2024
Titans defeat the Texans, 32-27. Composite Getty Image.
Will Levis threw for 278 yards and his 70-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo put Tennessee on top in the fourth quarter and the Titans held on for a 32-27 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled for the touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 9½ minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield.
Be sure to watch the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap reacts live on YouTube.
The Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field.
Titans coach Brian Callahan held both hands in the air and smiled after watching the miss that allowed his team to win on a day it had three turnovers.
The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked C.J. Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid.
Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the AFC South-leading Texans lost for the third time in four games.
Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries.
Tennessee extended the lead to 23-17 on a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk with nine minutes left in the third.
Stroud threw his second interception with about 90 seconds left in the third quarter but Ward’s touchdown came three plays later to put the Texans on top 24-23.
The Titans fumbled a punt early in the fourth quarter and Houston recovered it. A 54-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 27-23 with about 10 minutes to go.
Dameon Pierce returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to get the Texans in the red zone. Houston cashed in on the next play when Stroud found rookie Cade Stover on a 19-yard pass for his first touchdown reception.
The Titans trailed by four after a field goal by Folk when Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter.
Tennessee extended the lead to 17-7 when Tony Pollard ran 10 yards for a touchdown with about 11 minutes left in the second. Pollard finished with 119 yards and a touchdown.
Nico Collins scored on a 5-yard reception with about six minutes left in the second.
Levis fumbled on the Houston 32 with 3½ minutes left in the first half and Houston recovered the ball. Stroud connected with Collins on a 56-yard pass on the next play, but the Texans couldn’t move the ball and settled for a 28-yard field goal to tie it at 17-17.
Houston forced a punt after that, but rookie Jarvis Brownlee Jr. got his first career interception two plays later to give Tennessee the ball back. Folk’s 56-yard field goal, which tied his career long, put the Titans up 20-17 at halftime.
Injuries
The Titans were without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, after he was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, and safety Amani Hooker, who was added to the injury report Sunday morning with an illness. Hooker leads the Titans with three interceptions. … Houston S Jalen Pitre injured his shoulder in the second quarter and didn’t return. … CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.
Up next
Titans: Visit the Commanders next Sunday.
Texans: Visit Jacksonville next Sunday.
Cubs finalize trade and compensation with Astros for reliever Ryan Pressly
Jan 28, 2025, 3:26 pm
The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Ryan Pressly and cash from the Houston Astros on Tuesday for minor league pitcher Juan Bello.
Pressly likely slides into the closer's role with Chicago, which is looking to go back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. He had a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances last year while serving as a setup man for Josh Hader.
The 20-year-old Bello went 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 22 starts for Class A Myrtle Beach last year. He is 4-8 with a 3.66 ERA in 35 career minor league games.
To make room for Pressly on the 40-man roster, Chicago designated right-hander Matt Festa for assignment. Festa, 31, was acquired in a trade with Texas on Jan. 9.
The Pressly move is the second major offseason deal between Chicago and Houston. The Cubs added All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a multiplayer trade with the Astros in December.
Pressly waived his no-trade clause to go to Chicago. He had the right to block the deal because of his 12 years in the majors and six-plus seasons with Houston.
Chicago had been searching for bullpen help since it went 83-79 and finished second in the NL Central in 2024 for the second straight season. It was reportedly in the mix for Tanner Scott before he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Cubs are paying $8.5 million of Pressly's $14 million salary for 2025 in the last year of his contract.
Pressly's departure provides some financial flexibility for Houston that it could use to make a renewed push for a reunion with free agent third baseman Alex Bregman. It also could look to upgrade its outfield.
Hader replaced Pressly as Houston’s closer after he agreed to a $95 million, five-year contract last January. He had a 3.80 ERA and 34 saves in 71 games as the Astros won the AL West for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
With the Pressly trade, Bryan Abreu and Tayler Scott each could take on a more prominent role in Houston’s bullpen.
Pressly, a 36-year-old Dallas native, made his big league debut with Minnesota in 2013 and spent his first five-plus seasons with the Twins. He was traded to Houston in July 2018.
Pressly rose to prominence with the Astros, becoming one of baseball’s best relievers. The two-time All-Star had a streak of 40 consecutive games without allowing a run from Aug. 15, 2018, to May 23, 2019.
He was a key performer when Houston won the franchise’s second World Series title in 2022. He had a career-high 33 saves with a 2.98 ERA during the regular season, and then went on a dominant run in the playoffs. He saved six postseason games, striking out 13 while allowing an unearned run and four hits in 11 innings over 10 appearances.
Pressly is 35-36 with a 3.27 ERA and 112 saves in 623 major league games. He also has 693 strikeouts and 190 walks in 650 innings.
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