Titans Give One Back in a 22-13 Loss to the Texans

NASHVILLE – The Titans had a problem with Houston.

Or, perhaps, their biggest problem was themselves.

Even the rain at Nissan Stadium couldn’t wash away all of Tennessee’s sins in a 22-13 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

The Titans turned the ball over five times in the contest, including four times on interceptions thrown by quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The loss ended the team’s six-game winning streak, as the Titans fell to 8-3.

The Titans got off to a terrible start, and things never got better as a comeback effort was derailed by mistakes.

The Texans scored twice on a pair of field goals by kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to take a 6-0 lead. One of the field goals followed an interception thrown by Tannehill, which gave Houston the ball at the Tennessee six-yard-line.

The Texans extended their lead to 12-0 on a seven-yard touchdown run by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, which capped a nine-play, 76-yard drive.

The Titans, meanwhile, couldn’t get much going. The Tannehill interception killed one drive as they neared the goal line, and later running back Adrian Peterson was stuffed on a 4th and 1 at the Texans 31 to end another late in the first half.

Tennessee’s final drive of the first half ended with an intentional grounding call on Tannehill, and the Titans trailed 12-0 at the half.

Things got worse at the start of the second half.

After the defense got a stop, a punt went off the lower leg of Titans returner Chester Rogers, and it was recovered at the five-yard line.

Three plays later, Taylor ran it in again, this time from five yards out, to make it 19-0 with 7:00 left in the third quarter.

The Titans showed some life late in the third quarter, as Tannehill hit receiver Dez Fitzpatrick for an 18-yard touchdown completion to cut the lead to 19-6. The play capped a 13-play, 78-yard drive that took 4:36 off the clock.

The Titans were driving for more points in the fourth quarter, but a Tannehill pass intended for Fitzpatrick was intercepted by Texans defensive back Desmond King at the one-yard line.

The Titans cut the lead to 19-13 with 7:47 left when tight end Anthony Firkser recovered a fumble in the end zone.

But Tannehill was intercepted by King again in the closing minutes, and the Texans added another field goal with 3:26 left to make it 22-13. Tannehill threw his fourth interception of the game just before the two-minute warning.

The Titans face at Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.