NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two teams headed in the wrong direction meet Sunday when the Titans (0-3) visit AFC South rival Houston (0-3).
While the Titans winless start is disappointing, it is not shocking after finishing last season as the worst team in the NFL. Houston is another story though, the Texans were broadly picked to win the AFC South behind quarterback CJ Stroud and a strong defense. Instead, Stroud is struggling with only two touchdown passes in three games and the Texans have the lowest scoring offense in the NFL.
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NFL Scoring Average
32. Houston – 12.7 Points Per Game
31. Atlanta – 14.0
30. Cleveland – 15.3
29. New Orleans – 15.7
28. Tennessee – 17.0
The Texans revamped offensive line is struggling, but head coach DeMeco Ryans acknowledged they need more from their quarterback.
“Meeting with C.J. [Stroud] this week, I feel like he’s in a really great spot mentally, clear mind and understanding, ‘I [QB C.J. Stroud] got to play better.’ He understands that and that’s the first step to making strides and getting better is understanding and admitting like, ‘Hey, I know I have to play better so the team can be better.’ Let’s go. So, I’m excited to see him press forward, go play better and excited to see everybody around him play better as well,” Ryans said.
The big question for the Titans is can they can get any pressure on Stroud to actually make him uncomfortable? So far this season the Titans have one of the most inept pass rushes in the league with only two sacks in three games. If they can not find a way to win up front it could be an opportunity for Stroud to have a “get right” game at the Titans expense.
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NFL Pass Defense
32. Dallas – 288 Yards Per Game
31. Baltimore – 266 Yards Per Game
30. New England – 256 Yards Per Game
22. Tennessee – 228 Yards Per Game
13. Houston – 206 Yards Per Game
The Titans’ offensive is also struggling to put points on the board with the worst pass attack in the league behind first overall pick Cam Ward, who is making his first trip back home to Houston in the NFL. If Ward is feeling any extra excitement or jitters about the game he is not saying it publicly.
“It’s not really that significant to me, I would say. I’m just playing football. Hopefully, I know I have a couple family members down there, probably a lot of family members down there. Especially with Quandre’s (Diggs) side. But I’m locked in playing football, I’m going to do my job,” Ward said.
Doing his job comes with an added challenge this week. Tuesday, head coach Brian Callahan announced he was giving up play calling to focus on managing the game and quarterback coach Bo Hardegree will call the plays Sunday.
Ward has been sacked a league-leading 15 times this season, and while the Titans will get back right guard Kevin Zeitler, they will once again be without right tackle JC Latham who is recovering from a hip injury.
The Texans front of Daniel Hunter, Will Anderson and Denico Autry is one of the most formidable in the league, but that is nothing new for the Titans. They will have faced three of the best pass rushes in the league in the first four weeks after also playing Denver and the Los Angeles Rams.
For each team, their last win came against this opponent. The Titans last win came in Houston in late November (32-27), while the Texans finished the regular season with a 23-14 win.