With all the doom & gloom surrounding J.J Watt’s injury, some may wonder where the Texans mindsets are going into a crucial divisional game Sunday against the (1-2) Titans.
Fortunately, they’re a well-coached team & last year bounced back after losses to go on winning runs of 3 games. With the Colts winning last week & facing the Jaguars this week, the Texans know this is a critical matchup in controlling the AFC South. One player critical to the Texans chances, especially without the injured J.J Watt, will be Jadaveon Clowney.
When asked Thursday whether he is up for the challenge, Clowney gave a level-headed response: “I took it as a challenge all along. I needed to come into this season playing well and I did.”
Here are the 5 important factors against the Titans.
1) Keeping Marcus Mariota in the Pocket
The Titans aren’t getting blown out because of their strong defensive front seven and because they’reranked 8th in the league in rushing. They control time of possession with a solid running game & a good defense. That usually leads to wins in the NFL but not for the Titans, aside from a 16-15 miracle against Detroit.
The problem is that when they don’t run the ball, and the opposing defense isn’t sold on the play-action, Marcus Mariota is forced to stand in the pocket and throw. Who’s going to be gunning for Mariota in the pocket? Jadaveon Clowney. With J.J Watt out, Clowney needs to step up and show everyone why he was the number one pick two years ago. Why? Because Mariota has thrown 4 interceptions through 3 games and last week posted a QBR of 3.6 against the Raiders. What were the QBR’s against the Raiders in week one and two? 78.6 and 97.5.
It seems Titans Head Coach Mike Mularkey agrees.
When asked about Mariotta Thursday, Mularkey was open and honest about the young QB’s current performance: “Well, a couple things we’ve been working on, especially his pocket presence. He’s obviously a dangerous threat when he’s out of the pocket.”
2) Red Zone Offense
The Texans red zone offense has been abysmal this season. They are dead last for touchdown scoring % on trips to the end zone at an abysmal 14.29%. Tennessee? Middle of the road at 57.14%. This is a big worry for a team that signed Lamar Miller, who although shouldering an incredible load over the first three weeks (on target to eclipse 
400 carries) has no touchdowns and a pitiful 3.7 yards per carry.
Head Coach Bill O’Brien knows it too, pointing out on Thursday: “We haven’t been there enough. That’s what I see as a common thread. We haven’t been in the red zone.”
The Texans will need to dial up that red zone offense, especially as the Titans defense have given up only three offensive touchdowns through the first three games.
3) Win the Turnover Battle
This probably wouldn’t be hard if it were any team other than the Texans. The Titans are -5 in turnovers 
through the first three weeks. Mariota’s four interceptions have hurt them dearly, but so have his 3 fumbles (2 lost). Although they wont have J.J Watt, the Texans need to put pressure on Mariota and bait him into tough throws. History says that when he does, his team loses. Apparently, so does his coach.
On Thusday, Mularkey said of Mariota: “Some of the interceptions I think the earlier ones may have been more trying to make something happen.”
4) Start Fast
Tennesee is a slow starter. Through three weeks they are scoring an average of 2.0 points in the first quarter (30th) and 5.3 points in first halves (31st). Houston on the other hand is at 7.7 points per half (27th). Whoever starts fast will likely have a considerably good lead to take into the second half, and force the opposing young quarterback into throwing the football more, which doesn’t bode well for either Mariota or Osweiler, who have four interceptions apiece.
A big part of starting fast may actually be negating turnovers, whether it be in the red zone, or your own side of the field, early turnovers are not only deflating but tend to break up early offensive rhythm.
On Thursday, Offensive Coordinator George Godsey said of Osweiler: “I think when we start the game, it’s taking a profit if it’s there and if it’s not there, throwing it away.”
5) 3rd down Conversions
Houston is averaging a league-leading 7.3 3rd down conversions per game at a rate of 44% (11th). See the problem? Houston’s below-average run game is forcing it into more 3rd down conversions that any other team, making it not only hard to drive the ball down the field (as we saw against New England), but also to keep drives alive 
when they get in field goal range, or in the red zone. Tennessee is at 39%, which is good for 18th in the league. The key will be less 3rd down conversions.
How do you do that?
Osweiler needs to be confident and throw the ball down the field to his wide receivers Hopkins and Fuller. Through the first three games, the Titans defense has given up 11 catches for 157 yards to the Vikings duo of Diggs and Thielan, 12 catches for 166 yards to the Lions duo of Jones and Boldin, and 12 catches for 164 yards to the Raiders Cooper and Crabtree. That’s nearly 14 yards per catch.
If the Texans can manage to pass the ball down the field and avoid 3rd down conversions altogether they should be able to engineer enough trips down the field to win the game.
