TITANS 20, TEXANS 17
Texans vs Titans: Observations from Jermaine Every
Sep 16, 2018, 5:36 pm
DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller had big games. Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com
The Texans continue their piss poor record in one score games by losing 20-17 today to the division rival Tennessee Titans. Titans first year head coach Mike Vrabel was elated on the sidelines after the victory over his former team where he coached the league’s worst defense last year. This was another close game that the Texans should have won. Let’s take a look at some observations:
The Good
-Will Fuller looked good. He didn’t have ANY drops! Eight catches on nine targets for 113 yards and a touchdown in which he flat out burned Malcolm Butler. Sure he’s body-catching the ball, but I’m okay with that as long as he holds onto the ball. His big play ability will be needed if this offense has a chance at putting up big points.
-Deshaun Watson finally started using his legs. Not only did he gain 44 yards, but he also extended several pass plays. He got out of bounds on the plays he ran, and found guys wide open on scramble drill pass plays. It was a very welcomed sight for those who wanted Watson to do the same last week vs the Patriots.
-The Texans put up 148 rushing yards on 26 carries for a 5.7 yard per carry average. These numbers look very healthy two games into the season. Hopefully this trend can be sustained all season long. This offensive line isn’t very talented, but they’ve been run blocking well so far.
The Bad
-Both Jonathan Joseph and Tyrann Mathieu missed…whiffed on tackles leading to a Ttians touchdown. The worst part is Joseph had the receiver stopped for a loss, and Mathieu could have saved the touchdown.
-The front seven failed to take advantage of the Titans missing both starting offensive tackles and starting their backup quarterback. They managed only one sack. Even though Jadeveon Clowney wasn’t playing, this should’ve been a much higher number. Which leads to…
-…Titans backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert went 13 of 20 for a piddly 117 yards and a touchdown. BLAINE FREAKING GABBERT!!! I know the whole “they’re in the league for a reason” excuse will be thrown out there, but come on. He’s not listed as a bust in Jacksonville simply because of how bad their current quarterback is. He’s the kind of guy that’ll have a long career because he’s smart in the class, but a dud on the field.
The Ugly
-Going for a blocked punt is cool, but it has to be a strategic play. Leaving a gunner WIDE OPEN on the outside and the Titans took advantage scoring on a 66 yard touchdown pass by faking the punt.
-Offensive line was terrible. They racked up penalty yards like a shopaholic racks up airline miles on a credit card. So many times they let Watson got hit. I pray for him every time he drops back.
-The game ended on a play Watson CAN NOT make! They’re down three with no timeouts with 17 seconds left, he sat back in the pocket and eventually scrambled around (appearing to go past the line of scrimmage), only to throw the ball to the middle of the field to Hopkins as time ran out. This was about as boneheaded a move one could make. Sure chances of the game being tied or won were slim at that point, but you have to give your team a shot.
-Vrabel appeared to out-coach Bill O’Brien. The fake punt for a touchdown was the play that comes to mind the most. I also attribute Watson’s poor decision-making to O’Brien as well. Sorry coach, but it is your job to make sure your quarterback knows what’s expected of him in that situation. Everything is your job when you’re an NFL head coach. For Texans’ fans, I’m hoping this ship gets righted soon, or this will be another long season.
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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