The Tennessee Titans will try to get back on track on Sunday when their AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans, come to Nissan Stadium for Week 5 action.
The Titans again had a chance to pull off a much-needed victory against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, but turnovers and questionable red-zone play calling cost them. This week, the winless Texans will invade Nashville, and something will have to give,
This will not be easy, and the Titans enter the week as heavy underdogs. But to take a step forward, they need continued growth from the defense and better play calling. The effort is there, and Tennessee is right there; they just need a few key plays to get in the win column.
Here are the top five storylines in the Titans-Texans Week 5 matchup.
Something has to give
Heading into the week, it is somewhat surprising that both Tennessee and Houston enter winless, and that adds another layer to the rivalry. With no love lost between the two cities over the shared organizational history (and now the Titans’ rebrand), tensions will be high when the two teams kick off this divisional matchup on Sunday.
In a game always circled on the calendar, it has taken on even deeper meaning with both teams’ backs against the wall and their season on the line.
How much will the Texans' play-calling shakeup matter?
Earlier this week, the Texans announced that head coach DeMeco Ryans will take over defensive play-calling duties in an attempt to spark their struggling defense. With Tennessee entering with an up-and-down offense led by Cam Ward and its own play-calling issues, it adds a layer of intrigue to this battle.
The Titans should be familiar with the system, since it is the same; however, they may need to address different tendencies heading into the contest.
JC Latham is coming into his own
If you were going to name an MVP of the Titans' first quarter of the 2026 season, it would be new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. He has worked wonders with the offensive line, steadied them through injuries to starter Fernando Carmona and top reserve Jackson Slater, and helped turn JC Latham into a potential Pro Bowler.
Latham has been one of the best right tackles in the NFL through four games and is starting to look like the player Tennessee expected when they selected him seventh-overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Latham looks like a completely different player in 2026, and appears to be developing into an elite right tackle.
Why isn’t Cedric Gray playing?
This is one of the biggest questions to pop up early in the season, and it hasn’t gotten a good answer. Gray came into his own in 2025 and was one of the NFL's top tacklers, yet he's seen his snaps drastically reduced early in the season.
Yes, he missed the opener due to a concussion, but since he returned, veteran Cody Barton has out-snapped him in all three games, though at times it looks like Barton is outmatched in this system.
When asked about it during media availabilities, head coach Robert Saleh has only offered word salad and deflection, instead of truly addressing what, if any, issues exist. If the Titans want to be successful, it would make sense to have their most athletic linebackers on the field: Gray and Anthony Hill Jr.
Heading into Week 5, this is something to monitor to see if this trend continues,
Can Tennessee win one for Miss Amy?
Every season, the Titans circle this game because of its importance to owner Amy Adams Strunk and her family's legacy. Everyone knows the organization's history and the role Houston and Nashville have played.
Whether it is the Houston Oilers or Tennessee Titans, wins against division rivals are always important, but in this case, that importance rises another notch.
The Texans swept the Titans in 2025, and there is no doubt that everyone in the Titans’ organization, from the owner to the line painters, wants nothing more than to keep the Texans winless when they leave Nashville on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans: 5 storylines to watch in Week 5
