The Titans will clinch the No. 1 seed with a win over the Texans on Sunday. Tennessee lost to Houston 22-13 in Week 11.
It does not appear the Texans will do the Chiefs a favor today, though.
Tennessee got off to a slow start but leads 21-0 at halftime.
Ryan Tannehill threw three touchdown passes in the first half, a 5-yarder to Anthony Firkser, a 14-yarder to A.J. Brown and a 4-yarder to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. It was Brown’s second touchdown in three games.
Brown went into the medical tent with an unknown ailment in the first quarter but returned to finish the first half with three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. Julio Jones has four catches for 55 yards.
Tannehill is 18-of-25 for 198 yards, with nine different players having at least one reception.
Two big penalties cost the Texans, who have three for 60. Tremon Smith had a long kickoff return negated by a holding penalty on Connor Strachan, and Eric Murray was called for a questionable 45-yard pass interference penalty in the end zone.
Murray was tracking the ball when he and receiver Racey McMath collided, with both players hitting the ground. It appeared Murray never saw McMath as he was looking back for the ball. Lonnie Johnson picked the pass, but Murray was penalized for pass interference with 15 seconds left in the half.
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore disagreed with the penalty, which put the Titans at the 4-yard line and led to Westbrook-Ikhine’s touchdown catch on the next play.
The Texans gained only 67 yards on 26 plays in the first half as Davis Mills went 7-of-14 for 61 yards. Rex Burkhead has seven carries for only 7 yards.