Titans win AFC South after 41-38 victory over Texans
The Tennessee Titans barely topped the Houston Texans, 41-38, at NRG Stadium in Week 17, and in the process secured the AFC South title and a home playoff game in Nashville.
This game came down to the wire, to say the least. With the game tied at 38 and with just 18 seconds remaining in regulation, Ryan Tannehill connected on a pass to A.J. Brown for 54 yards, which set Tennessee up with a game-winning field goal opportunity.
And rookie kicker Sam Sloman, who was filling in for Stephen Gostkowski, came through with the biggest kick of his career, as his attempt from 37 yards out was good and put the Titans over the top for the victory.
For the Titans, it’s their first division title since the 2008 season and now they will host the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round, a rematch from last year’s playoffs when the Titans stunned the Ravens in the Divisional Round. Tennessee also topped Baltimore in Week 11 of this season, 30-24, in OT.
On top of winning the division, running back Derrick Henry reached the 2,000-yard mark after totaling a career-high 250 yards on the ground. He’s the eighth running back in NFL history to accomplish that feat, and the second in Titans history.
Here’s the rest of everything we know from the Titans’ Week 17 win over the Texans.
Final score: Titans 41, Texans 38
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
It was over when...
(AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Sam Sloman came through with the biggest kick of his career, a 37-yard field goal to give the Titans the win. Sloman's clutch kick was only possible because of Tannehill's 54-yard connection to Brown just two plays prior.
Keys to the game
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
-Derrick Henry pummeled the Texans for 250 yards and two touchdowns, including two back-breaking gains of 45 and 52 yards. He is now the first player in NFL history to rush for 200 yards or more in three straight meetings against the same opponent. -The Titans held the Texans to just 5-for-12 on third downs. The Titans were 7-for-10 on third downs. -Tennessee was 4-for-5 in the red zone, while Houston was held to field goals on three of their five red zone trips. That was a major difference in this game. -Believe it or not, the Titans actually totaled four sacks in this game, two of which came on the same series that led to a red zone stop. Talk about rare. -The Titans had two turnovers (one on downs) that set the Texans up with short fields, and Houston took advantage of both situations with two touchdowns. The turnover on downs was the result of a questionable call by head coach Mike Vrabel, who decided to go for it on fourth-and-11. -The Titans had no answer for Brandin Cooks or Deshaun Watson. Cooks torched Tennessee's secondary for 166 and two scores, while Watson finished with 365 yards and three touchdowns.
Titans' stars of the game
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Derrick Henry: 16 carries, 143 yards, 2 TD A.J. Brown: 10 receptions, 151 yards, 1 TD Sam Sloman: 2-for-2 FGs, 5-for-5 PATs
Injuries
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-A.J. Brown came up with a leg injury after catching a 21-yard pass on the Titans' first offensive play. He returned a few plays later. Brown has been dealing with knee and ankle issues all season. -Rodger Saffold came up with an ankle injury during the third quarter, something he has been dealing with for weeks now. The veteran did not return.
What's next?
(AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
With the win, the Titans finish the season at 11-5 and are officially AFC South champions and will be making their second straight trip to the playoffs, and the third in the last four seasons. In the Wild Card round, the Titans will draw the Baltimore Ravens at Nissan Stadium. The Titans have won each of their last two meetings with the Ravens, including the huge upset from last year's playoffs and a Week 11 win from this season.
