Both the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans enter Week 5 desperate for a win. The AFC South rivals are 0-4, making Sunday’s matchup at Nissan Stadium an early-season must-win for two teams that have endured several close losses.
The Titans are coming off a 24-18 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, while Houston fell 34-30 to the Dallas Cowboys after giving up the game-winning touchdown with 40 seconds remaining.
With both teams searching for their first victory, these three matchups could go a long way toward determining who finally gets into the win column.
WR Carnell Tate vs. CB Derek Stingley Jr.
This could be the most intriguing individual matchup of the game. Carnell Tate is coming off the best game of his rookie season, catching nine passes for 145 yards against the Ravens. Through four
games, the rookie has 22 receptions for 268 yards and has emerged as one of Cam Ward's most productive targets.
Now Tate could see plenty of Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr., one of the NFL’s premier cornerbacks. The two-time first-team All-Pro member hasn’t had the start he’s wanted this season, so expect him to take the Tate assignment personally.
QB Cam Ward vs. Houston’s pass rush
The Titans need Cam Ward to continue progressing, but Houston’s defensive front will make that difficult. With help from the Titans’ offensive line, Ward has done a better job of avoiding sacks as he’s only been sacked six times this season.
However, the Texans’ defensive line ranks fourth in the NFL in sacks, with 14 on the season. For Ward, the key will be getting the ball out quickly and avoiding negative plays to give the Titans a chance at their first win.
C.J. Stroud vs. Titans’ defensive front
In a contract year, C.J. Stroud enters Week 5 playing very well through four weeks. His top target, WR Nico Collins, also returned from injury last week and is trending towards being available this week.
The Titans will need Jeffery Simmons and the defensive front to make Stroud uncomfortable, as their secondary has had issues on the back end. If Tennessee can pressure Stroud and force Houston into obvious passing situations, it could help prevent another late-game collapse.
With both teams sitting at 0-4, there isn’t much room for another close loss. The Titans-Texans matchup will likely come down to which quarterback gets better protection, which defense makes the critical stop, and whether Tate can win his battle against Stingley.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans: 3 key matchups in Week 5
