CJ Stroud threw for two touchdowns Sunday and Houston’s defense limited the visiting Tennessee Titans to 175 total yards in a 26-0 victory, the Texans’ first of the season.
Stroud’s 12-yard strike to Woody Marks on the first play of the fourth quarter was Houston’s first touchdown in the red zone this year. It capped a 13-play, 82-yard drive that lasted 7:51 and saw the Texans convert a 2nd-and-33 via a 37-yard pass to Nico Collins.
After Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted rookie quarterback Cam Ward and returned it 20 yards to the Tennessee 44, Stroud sealed the outcome six plays later by finding rookie Jayden Higgins for a 24-yard score at the 9:26 mark.
Stroud completed 22 of 28 passes for 233 yards as Houston (1-3) ended a three-game skid. Collins finished with four catches for 79 yards as the Texans finished with 353 total yards. Marks racked up 69 yards on 17 carries, including an 18-yard scoring jaunt off left tackle with 4:51 left.
Ward hit on just 10 of 26 passes for 108 yards as Tennessee fell to 0-4 and is 3-18 since the start of last season. The Titans managed only 10 first downs and converted just 2-of-11 third downs.
Tennessee never got into the red zone, although it missed on a chance to pull even before halftime. Joey Slye’s 41-yard field goal on the game’s first possession sailed wide right, as did his 43-yard attempt to end the first half. Slye has missed four times in the last two weeks.
Houston owned a 6-0 halftime lead, thanks to kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. He capped the host’s first possession by toeing a 47-yard field goal with 4:49 left in the first quarter, ending an 11-play drive that lasted 6:52. Then he drilled a 43-yarder at the 13:28 mark of the second period.
Tony Pollard rushed 14 times for 64 yards for the Titans.
