Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans Match Player Stats On Oct 02, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 2, 2016

HOUSTON -- Will Fuller returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown and the Houston Texans claimed their fifth consecutive win over the Tennessee Titans 27-20 on Sunday at NRG Stadium.

Alongside fellow rookie Tyler Ervin on the return, Fuller beat the coverage to the open side of the field before dashing untouched up the home sideline with 56 seconds left in the third quarter. Fuller earlier grabbed a 5-yard scoring pass from quarterback Brock Osweiler and subsequently became the first player in franchise history to record a receiving and punt return touchdown in the same game.

Fuller snapped a 20-all tie and salvaged the Texans (3-1) from an uneven performance. Houston appeared unbeatable early, recording touchdowns on its first two possessions and totaling 178 yards in the first quarter while taking a 14-0 lead.

The Texans led 17-3 when the Titans (1-3) mounted their comeback, parlaying a 60-yard pass from Marcus Mariota to Rishard Matthews into the first of two DeMarco Murray touchdowns runs in the second quarter. The second Murray scoring run, a 1-yard plunge with 2:28 left in the first half, followed the first of two Osweiler interceptions, and the Texans needed a late Nick Novak field goal to reclaim a 20-17 lead at the intermission.

Tennessee pulled even when Ryan Succop converted a 26-yard field goal with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter but the Texans' defense, playing without end J.J. Watt for the first time, held strong. Fuller ensured the Texans' eight win in nine games against the Titans with his dazzling return just prior to the final period.

Murray rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns while Mariota finished with 202 passing yards and an interception. Both Osweiler interceptions were targeted to receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who finished with just one catch for four yards. Osweiler passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns.

NOTES: Titans WR Kendall Wright recorded his first reception on the season late in the first half, a three-yard grab to open the Titans' penultimate possession of the second quarter. Wright missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury suffered in training camp. ... Texans K Nick Novak tied his career long with his 53-yard field goal in the second quarter. ... With touchdown runs of 2 and 1 yards in the second quarter, Titans RB DeMarco Murray recorded two rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since Week 15 of 2014 while with the Cowboys. ... Texans TE C.J. Fiedorowicz set career highs for receptions (four) and receiving yards (48) before departing with a knee injury on the second quarter. Fiedorowicz returned in the second half.