Right now, the Texans’ season sits on a knife’s edge. At 4-5, they sit on the outside looking in for the playoffs. Victories need to get banked, the more the merrier. Yet, Houston faces one of the roughest schedules in the league to close out the year. Over their last 8 games, they have to face the Colts (twice), the Bills (at home), the Chiefs (on the road) and the Chargers (on the road). They do get the Raiders (home), Cardinals (home) and the Titans (away), which is their next game. To say that
the Titans game is a must-win is cliche, but logical. The Titans sit in the pole position for the #1 pick in the 2026 Draft. They’ve fired their head coach and the offense under #1 pick Cam Ward is beyond wretched.
For Houston, this would seem to be a “get-right” game. However, they will travel to Nashville with several concerns. Foremost among them: Injuries to the starting QB position. With Houston in desperation mode, they would want any and all available weapons ready to get this one. However, CJ Stroud is out for a second straight game after a concussion against Denver. In his place, Davis Mills, he of the insane 4th quarter comeback against Jacksonville last week. One would think that the momentum from that 4th quarter against the Jags should carry over, but how often have we said that about a QB, and Mills in particular, only to see that amount to nothing? For all of the Titans’ woes, they do possess a defense that can and has given Houston’s inconsistent offense trouble.
Yet is the worst thing in the world for Stroud to miss this game and let Mills lead the squad? Mills, while not the most successful of QBs, does have a record of success against the Titans, and in Nashville in particular. He won his start there in 2022 and guided Houston to a win in 2024 playing all but one series of the game. Perhaps the momentum from last week’s 4th quarter might just carry over, and if Houston can get off to a good enough start, that might be enough against a depleted Titans’ offense. Also, while they are facing significant attrition in the secondary, the powerful Texans’ defense has yet to surrender a point to the Titans this season. Likely that streak ends in Nashville but given the trouble that Houston’s defense presents to any offense this season, they may not surrender all that many. (Special teams and offensive turnovers…well, that might be another matter).
Also, the schedule plays a significant factor here. The Texans get their designated Thursday Night game this coming week, so it will be a short turnaround from going to Nashville to facing the Buffalo Bills at home. If there is a game you would want a healthy Stroud, it is that Buffalo game. Besides, when he last suffered a concussion in his rookie season, Stroud missed two games, but returned with a vengeance, leading Houston to two wins to secure the AFC South. Against a Buffalo squad with a suspect defense, a healthy Stroud would be a major plus.
It is a gamble for the Texans to let General Mills lead the charge in Nashville. There are no certainties in the NFL, and in 2025 in particular, whatever is expected usually doesn’t end up that way. A loss against the Titans would drop Houston to 4-6 and effectively leave the Texans in win-out mode and hope for a lot of help. However, to rush Stroud back only to see him get injured again, this time for a longer spell, would be a far worse fate for the Texans. Maybe it isn’t the worst of all worlds to leave it to Mills and that defense to deal with the Titans, saving Stroud for the Bills (pending that Stroud can clear the protocol by early this coming week).
