Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) huddles up with teammates before taking the field against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Early Titans vs. Texans Predictions: Another Flop Coming

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 11:00 AM ET

There isn't much left to be said about the Tennessee Titans 41-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. It's a game that Titans fans will want to put in the rear-view mirror as things are looking up in Week 4.

There's no guarantee the Titans are going to win, or even compete for a full 60-minutes against the Houston Texans, but if there was ever a time to win, it's now.

The Texans are coming off an embarrassing 17-10 loss to the 2-1 Jacksonville Jaguars. Don't let the Jaguars fool you, they've only beaten the Texans and Carolina Panthers this year. If that isn't enough, they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals despite backup QB Jake Browning throwing three interceptions.

Simply put, the Jaguars are not a good football team. The Texans may have lost to a team with a winning record, but Houston only putting up 10 points against them is a fantastic sign for the Titans. QB CJ Stroud hasn't been able to lead this offense anywhere and he's been a shell of himself compared to his rookie season.

RB Joe Mixon's injury has put this team in a bad place, one they haven't been able to work out of. HC DeMeco Ryans has no idea when they'll be getting Mixon back, but Tennessee knows for sure it won't be against them in Week 4.

Somehow, QB Cam Ward finds himself with comparable statistics to the 2023 No. 2 overall pick. Stroud is 57/89 with 599 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He's averaging 6.7 yards, one of the main numbers that has a slight edge over Ward's 5.1. The Miami graduate is 54/99 with 506 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Keep in mind, that interception was a costly one as it was an opening drive pick-six against the Colts.

Regardless, Stroud is able to use his legs to his advantage. He's second on the team in carries (13) and yards (81) but leads in yards per attempt (6.2). Only one of the Texans three touchdowns has been on the ground this season, that going to RB Nick Chubb who has 34 carries for 141 yards.

The battle between Chubb and RB Tony Pollard is going to be one to watch. Pollard was able to secure his first touchdown of the season against the Colts as he now has 54 carries for 197 yards. Pollard may have more yards, but it's Chubb who is averaging half a yard more per carry.

Ward's offensive abilities relies on the state of his offensive line. It's a unit that has been banged up all season, one that has allowed the team's 2025 No. 1 overall pick to be sacked 15 times in the first three games. The Texans are averaging three sacks per game, a number that Ward would welcome. Things could get interesting in Houston if Ward is able to remain in the pocket and have an extra second to think.