| Texans DE J.J Watt and his teammates up front forced Matt Hasselbeck into several key turnovers in the Titans' 38-14 defeat on Sunday. (AP) |
Unlike a four-touchdown defeat to the San Diego Chargers in Week 2, the Tennessee Titans’ 38-14 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday wasn’t as lopsided as the score indicated.
The offensive line opened sizable gaps for the first time this season, the front seven had several key stops on third down and the deficit was still in single-digits early in the third quarter.
Nonetheless, the Titans were beaten by a deficit of 21 points or more for the third time this season. Only one other team in the NFL, the Kansas Chiefs, has three losses of at least 16 points.
Offense: D
Oddly enough, running back Chris Johnson was one of the few bright spots with the offense. The All-Pro running back entered the game with just 45 yards on 33 carries but rushed for 141 yards on 25 carries against Houston. Johnson credited his line for springing holes up the middle to provide him with room to run. Jake Locker attempted only two passes before leaving the game with a dislocated left (non-throwing) shoulder. A rusty Matt Hasselbeck had three turnovers, including two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Kendall Wright had several drops on catchable balls.Previous game's grade: A-
Defense: C-
Despite the loss, there were some positives to build on for defensive coordinator Jerry Gray’s unit. For a defense that struggled to get off the field in their first three games, the Titans forced four three-and-outs in 11 drives. Texans running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate rushed for less than 100 yards combined on 3.34 yards per carry. The Titans' struggles to defend opposing tight ends continued. Texans TE Owen Daniels had a game-high six receptions for 72 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown. Safeties Michael Griffin and Jordan Babineaux had critical missed tackles.Previous game's grade: C+
Special teams: D-
One week after producing two electrifying touchdowns, Alan Lowry’s special teams unit had a number of crucial blunders. DB Tommie Campbell was whistled for two penalties, and a penalty from TE Taylor Thompson nullified a 28-yard return by RB Darius Reynaud. P Brett Kern averaged more than 46.0 yards per punt. For the season, Kern has averaged nearly 50 yards on each boot.Previous game's grade: A+
Coaching: C-
The offensive game plan contained a good mix of the run and pass, but the two interceptions for touchdowns were back-breakers. Coach Mike Munchak might have been too conservative on a third-down run by Javon Ringer early in the third quarter when the Titans trailed by two touchdowns. Gray needs to find a way to pressure the quarterback and create turnovers. The Titans rank 30th in sacks per pass attempt (4.11 percent) and 29th in interception rate (0.68 percent), according to NFLGSIS.com.Previous game's grade: A-
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