Field Level Media
Oct 18, 2020
Derrick Henry rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns and the Tennessee Titans blew a two-touchdown lead only to rally for a 42-36 overtime win over the Houston Texans on Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville
The Titans (5-0) amassed 601 yards, with quarterback Ryan Tannehill passing for 364 yards and four touchdowns to complement Henry. Tannehill engineered a 9-play, 76-yard drive in the waning moments, and his 7-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown with four seconds left forced overtime. In the extra period, Henry had a 53-yard reception before his 5-yard run ended it.
Deshaun Watson passed for 335 yards and four touchdowns to lead the comeback for Houston (1-5). But Texans interim coach Romeo Crennel made a late dubious decision that proved fatal.
The wild second half commenced when Texans safety Justin Reid blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Houston converted that opportunity five plays later when David Johnson scored on a 1-yard run that cut the Titans lead to 21-17 with 6:15 left in the third.
On the ensuing possession, the Titans lost left tackle Taylor Lewan to injury and the Texans capitalized immediately when J.J. Watt recorded a strip sack on Tannehill. Jacob Martin recovered the fumble at the Tennessee 4-yard line. Watson hit Randall Cobb for a 4-yard touchdown on third down and the Texans had their first lead at 23-21 following the missed PAT.
Henry responded with a 94-yard touchdown run on the first snap of the Titans' next possession only for Watson to toss a 53-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller V. When Watson threw a 1-yard touchdown to Brandin Cooks with 1:50 left, the Texans led 36-29. But a failed two-point conversion opened the door for the Titans, and they kicked it in over their last two drives.
Tennessee dominated the first half behind Tannehill, who was 14-of-19 for 149 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers. The Titans had drives of 80, 71 and 85 yards and extended their streak of consecutive red-zone possessions ending in touchdowns to 10 when Tannehill hit Brown for a 6-yard score for a 14-0 lead with 12 seconds left in the first period.
The Texans sliced that deficit in half with a desperate 13-play, 82-yard march culminating in a Watson 1-yard touchdown pass to Darren Fells on fourth down at the 8:56 mark of the second quarter. But the Titans managed an immediate response with their 85-yard drive, converting a pair of third downs before Tannehill found Adam Humphries for a 22-yard strike and 21-7 lead.
--Field Level Media