NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — C.J. Stroud threw for 261 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score and the Houston Texans snapped their winless start to the season by routing the Tennessee Titans 26-3 Sunday.
This is the second straight season Houston (1-4) ended an opening winless skid by beating Tennessee. This time, the Texans forced two turnovers and Will Anderson Jr. had three of Houston's four sacks. Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked four field goals with
the Texans taking a 12-3 halftime lead.
Houston played keep-away over the second and third quarters outgaining the Titans 225-49 and outscoring them 16-0. The Texans held Tennessee to a season-low 187 total yards.
The Titans (0-5) now have lost 11 straight in the AFC South and six straight going back to the end of last season.
Tennessee led only after opening with a drive for a 30-yard field goal by Joey Slye. Cam Ward finished throwing for 170 yards.
Then the Texans forced the Titans three-and-out, safety Jalen Pitre recovered a fumble by Tyjae Spears on the next Tennessee drive. Jake Hansen picked off Ward's pass up the middle on the ensuing drive. Houston then forced another three-and-out by the Titans.
Tennessee managed only one sack as Stroud scrambled safely to the sideline. The Titans' secondary didn't have safety Amani Hooker still in the concussion protocol, and the injuries grew quickly after kickoff. Safety Kevin Winston Jr. hurt a quadriceps muscle early, cornerback Cor'Dale Flott hurt his chest and Tony Adams returned after clearing a concussion evaluation.
Stroud picked apart the Titans, and only the Texans' inability to convert twice inside the Tennessee 20 in the first half kept the final score from being worse. Houston also had to settle for field goals of 35 and 26 yards from Fairbairn after the turnovers.
Houston put the game away in the third quarter with a 17-play drive using up 8 minutes, 23 seconds. Stroud kept the drive alive on third-and-11 escaping All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons to find Kayshon Boutte for a tiptoe-catch on the sideline for 23 yards. Stroud finished the drive with a 2-yard keeper for 19-3 lead.
Stroud added a 9-yard TD pass to Jaylin Noel to start the fourth quarter.
Houston hurt itself repeatedly, piling up 11 penalties for 95 yards. The Titans didn't pick up a penalty until 2:49 left in the third quarter and finished with seven for 83 yards.
Texans running back David Montgomery hurt a groin muscle in the second quarter and didn't return. He had just five carries for 11 yards. Pitre hurt a shoulder late.
Flott didn't return after hurting his chest. The injury happened when teammate Isaiah Oliver, promoted from the practice squad, hit both Flott and Texans tight end Dalton Schultz on an overthrown pass in the end zone.
The Texans play the Jaguars in London on Sunday.
The Titans visit Indianapolis on Sunday.
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