Houston Texans bold predictions for Week 12 vs. Titans
11/23/2024 02:21 PM
With a Houston Texans Week 12 game scheduled against the Tennessee Titans, a lot of eyes will be on the Texans to see if they can continue their push toward the 2024 NFL Playoffs. Ahead of the Texans-Titans game, we'll be making our Texans Week 12 predictions.
It has not been the dominant season the Texans were hoping for in C.J. Stroud’s second year, but they still are 7-4 and in first place in the AFC South. Their best chance at making a deep playoff run is through winning the division, and that’s what makes this game against the 2-8 Titans so important. On paper, this should be a game that the Texans easily win, but Houston can’t afford any letdown.
The Titans put their collapse against the Detroit Lions in the rearview mirror by beating the Dallas Cowboys, 34-10, but they need to finish this season strong in order to maintain their momentum. Sometimes, it’s not the best overall team that ends up winning the Super Bowl, but rather, the hottest. This is a big game for Houston. They all are. As such, let's move on to our Texans Week 12 predictions.
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The Texans will pick off Titans QB Will Levis twice
Titans quarterback Will Levis became the butt end of NFL memes earlier this season with back-to-back, to back, terrible outings at the start of the 2024 campaign. A terrible pick-six against the Chicago Bears led to this picture in Week 1 and then he went on a roll. He threw four touchdowns compared to six interceptions in his first and though he has improved a bit in his last few outings, he’s been sacked 12 times in his last two appearances and he seems primed to have another meltdown — especially with the stakes for high for the Texans in this one.
The Texans are a top-three team this season in interceptions with 14. Sure, much of that came from the game against the Lions, which saw them pick off Jared Goff an incredible five times, but this is a DeMeco Ryans-led defense that knows how to take away the football. They’ll steal it away from Levis twice in this game, and they’ll potentially create another meme-worthy moment.
C.J. Stroud will finally have his breakout game against Titans
It’s easy to predict that Stroud will succeed just about every week because of the incredible rookie season he put up for the Texans. The issue is that this has really been a rough campaign for him as he’s hit somewhat of a “sophomore slump. He’s thrown for 2,628 yards, which is fifth amongst NFL quarterbacks, but he’s also thrown seven interceptions to go along with his 12 touchdowns.
Even in Houston’s blowout win against the Cowboys, Stroud didn’t throw a touchdown while he threw another interception. Much like his counterpart in Green Bay, Jordan Love, though, Stroud says it’s all part of being an aggressive quarterback in the NFL.
"Shooters have to shoot. You live by the sword; you die by the sword. So, I am just going to continue to play — throw anticipation, throw no-looks. I am going to continue to be me. I am going to have fun. If it means I have to throw more picks to get us to win, it is what it is,” Stroud said in the lead-up to the matchup with the Titans, per ESPN.
Stroud’s last three-touchdown game was in mid-October against the New England Patriots but he also threw an interception in that one. Against the Titans, he’ll throw three touchdowns while protecting the ball for zero turnovers.
Nico Collins will explode for a huge game
Nico Collins has played in only six games this season due to a hamstring injury. He came back in Week 11 against the Cowboys but played in only 47 percent of Houston’s offensive snaps. Still, he notched four catches for 54 yards in what was clearly an attempt by the Texans to ease him back into game play.
Heading into this game against the Titans, Collins should be off his “pitch count” and he’s feeling good after time off rehabbing himself, according to a report from Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
I've been working hard, working on my speed. I feel like that really just gave me time to work on myself, get bigger, get faster, get stronger. I'm a 21 miles per hour guy. That's average for me,” Collins said. “I'm excited, second week back with the guys, division game. I felt great, getting my groove back, getting my timing back with C.J., getting that rust off, getting my lungs back, getting my legs back I can't wait to play Sunday and have fun with the guys and have that energy from the fans."
That sounds like a player who is poised for a breakout game.
The post Houston Texans bold predictions for Week 12 vs. Titans appeared first on ClutchPoints.
