How Houston Texans can pivot from letdown to their finest hour versus Titans
TEXANS ON TAP
12 December 2023
Sitting at 7-6, the Houston Texans head to Nashville for a critical game against DeAndre Hopkins and the Titans.
The Titans are coming off a big upset victory over the Miami Dolphins, and the Texans are fresh off an embarrassing loss to the New York Jets.
Making matters worse, CJ Stroud is in concussion protocol, which will likely force Davis Mills or Case Keenum to make the start for the Texans.
And let's not forget, WR Nico Collins exited Sunday's game with a calf injury, so his status is also up in the air.
Silver lining
All is not lost if the Texans have to roll with Mills or Keenum this week. Davis Mills and the Texans went to Nashville and won on Christmas Eve last year.
And what typically kills the Texans each time they face the Titans is running back Derrick Henry. He seemingly rushed for 200 yards each time he faced Houston.
But this is a different Texans defense with DeMeco Ryans, they have gone from being one of the worst rush defenses to now one of the best. The Texans are currently the 8th-best rushing defense, allowing an average of 95.62 yards per game on the ground. Last year they were dead last in rushing defense giving up 170.24 yards per game. Now that's improvement.
Behind enemy lines
The Titans are 25th in points scored per game (18.5) and are in the bottom half of the league in practically every offensive category. And that includes rushing yards, so this isn't the Derrick Henry-led Titans team of past seasons.
On defense, Tennessee is in the middle of the pack in most categories. However, they are dead last in interceptions (3). So if the Texans want to take some chances down the field with a backup quarterback, this might be the week to do it.
Some betting sites still don't have this game on the board, as we wait to see if CJ Stroud will play. But others have put out a line, making the Texans 2.5 point road dogs.
Be sure to watch the video above for our early preview of Texans-Titans.
And don't miss Texans on Tap (a Texans podcast) on our SportsMapTexans YouTube channel. Be sure to hit like and subscribe!
Astros show signs of life in blowout win over Brewers
May 7, 2025, 3:25 pm
Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña homered and drove in four runs as the Houston Astros defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.
Houston earned just its second victory in seven games to snap Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and leave both teams with .500 records. The Brewers were attempting to sweep a series from the Astros for the first time since 2012.
The Astros led 3-1 before Peña broke the game open by delivering a three-run homer to left off reliever Elvin Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth inning.
JP3-run bomb. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/En0XXWdlt0
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
Valdez (2-4) struck out seven while allowing three hits, two walks and one run to earn his first win since the Astros’ March 27 season opener. He threw a season-high 101 pitches.
The Framchise is all business.#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/J8EGGDk5gl
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
Milwaukee’s only run off Valdez came on Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer, a 425-foot drive to center.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Quinn Priester (1-1) in the second inning as Jake Meyers hit a two-out single and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s double.
RBI double for Zach gets us on the board early! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/AilCY27A9d
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
The Brewers have lost all 13 games this season in which their opponent scored first.
Five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader worked the ninth while pitching in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers traded him in 2022.
Key moment
The Astros led 1-0 and had runners on third and second with one out in the fifth when Peña hit a bouncer to third.
Safe all day. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/OVjcvev7cM
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
The throw home beat Dezenzo to the plate. Home plate umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled Dezenzo out, but the Astros challenged the call and replays showed the runner slid home ahead of Haase’s tag.
Key stat
Valdez has now pitched at least seven innings an MLB-leading 57 times since 2020.
Up next
The Astros host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Scheduled pitchers are right-hander Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67) for the Astros and right-hander Nick Martinez (1-3, 4.19) for the Reds.
The Brewers visit the Tampa Bay Ray on Friday. Left-hander José Quintana (4-1, 2.83) will pitch for the Brewers.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
