Take Titans And Henry Against Texans

Texans vs. Titans, 1:00 ET

I was thinking about the NFL season and can't remember a time when so many teams had missing quarterbacks. It isn't all bad, you never know when there is someone sitting on the bench that could make a big difference for a team. If Drew Bledsoe never got injured when would we have gotten to see Tom Brady? Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think Davis Mills or Will Levis are going to be considered great quarterbacks when all is said and done but we can still have fun. We are putting a play on the Texans and Titans, two squads that look to guys who started on the bench this season to pull it out.

The Texans would probably have been favored in this game if CJ Stroud was starting the game. Stroud was in the MVP conversation and almost certainly will be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now they have to turn to Davis Mills or potentially Case Keenum to keep their playoff hopes alive. Stroud, as of writing this is still in concussion protocol and didn't practice today (Thursday). Mills was just 1-for-5 against the Jets last week. Last season, as the starter, he led the Texans to a 3-11-1 record in his games. One of those wins though was against the Titans in Tennessee. He was 17-for-28 in that game with 178 yards and one touchdown and one interception. This year he really needs to replicate it and I'm not sure that he will be able to do it. The Titans are an average defense overall. They struggle against the run, which really won't matter against Mills as he won't take off often and the expectation is that they will load the box so that he can't just hand the ball off. If Davis can find a way to get the ball to his playmakers, they can keep this close, but I don't think they can win the game. Will they be able to keep it within a touchdown is the question.

HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans warms up before kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium on November 5, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Titans are probably on cloud 9 at the moment, bit before this game kicks off they better come back down to Earth and face reality. What is the reality? Well, even a win in this game won't put them in the playoff picture if we are being honest. They aren't fully eliminated yet, but they are extremely close. I have to say, I've liked what I've seen out of Will Levis in his starts. There have been hiccups in the process, but that can be expected with any rookie. Last week against the Dolphins, he led the Titans to an improbable comeback where he threw for 327 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Derrick Henry, their stud running back, struggled to get much going in terms of yards but found the end zone twice for the third straight week against the Dolphins. Now that Levis is opening the field up or making them respect his offensive capabilities, that is giving Henry a bit more room and opportunity. The Texans are one of the better defenses against the run but have allowed eight touchdowns to opposing backs - 12th most in the NFL. Henry has had multiple touchdowns in four of his past five games against the Texans.

For the game, I think I have to take the Titans to win and cover. It is likely to be a close matchup as the division rivalry game angle fits this quite well. Titans -3 is a good look for this though against a team that will struggle to get things going with Mills under center. I also think that playing Henry to score a touchdown at -120 or less is a great look for this one. If Stroud ends up playing, I might have to buy out of the Titans, but for now, I am confident in the -3.

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