What we learned while watching the Texans wax the Titans 41-7 in Tennessee:
1. The Texans had a well deserved reputation for soft play in the AFC South. This game should prove they are the toughest team in the division now.
Houston rushed for 222 yards. Arian Foster and Ben Tate had big holes to run through all day. The Texans shut down Chris Johnson and suffocated Tennessee’s receivers all day. Not a single Titans receiver topped 30 yards.
Gary Kubiak was 3-7 against the Titans, but this is a different Texans team. They can play defense.
2. Arian Foster is the best running back in the AFC South and it’s not even close. While Chris Johnson danced behind the line of scrimmage ten times for 18 yards, Foster racked up 234 yards from scrimmage on 25 carries and five catches.
Matt Schaub barely threw the ball down the field initially and it didn’t matter. He just threw it short to Foster, and let Foster’s cuts make the Titans defenders look silly.
3. Matt Hasselbeck left late in the game shaking his hand a bit, but the Titans say he is healthy. Jake Locker threw one pass in mop up time. The bloom has come off the rose a bit for Hasselbeck the last two games.
Hasselbeck threw for only 104 yards on 30 attempts, with two interceptions. His young receivers don’t separate and they drop passes. It’s a rough offense right now.
4. The Texans are now the favorites in the AFC South. They are a more complete team than Tennessee. The schedule is very favorable, and they get the Titans traveling to Houston later in the year.
The toughest games Houston has left: Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Cincinnati. The Texans’ next two games are against the Jaguars and Browns at home.
Don’t underestimate the significance of this win. The Texans are heavy division favorites now.