When it comes to NFL matchups nothing gets Texans fans fired up like facing off against the Tennessee Titans. Since the Texans joined the league in 2002, these games against the Titans have always been intense and full of heart. Every time our team takes the field against them, it's a battle that brings out the true spirit of Houston football in all its glory.
The first matchup was in November of 2002 when the Texans traveled up to Tennessee to play the Titans. With David Carr at quarterback, the Texans would lose 17-10. The Texans would then host the Titans, where they would lose again 13-3.
The Texans would lose to the Titans in all of their first four matchups. But then, in the 2004 NFL season, Houston would get their first two wins against Tennessee. They defeated them by a combined score of 20 points.
However, in the last three times the two teams met, Houston pulled out and won every game. Two of which came from former Ohio State quarterback, C.J. Stroud. And in this next season, with the Texans building a team better than last year's, Stroud can gain two more wins, which would make his record against the Titans 4-0.
Also, a fun fact about these two teams' records against each other, they have gone to overtime four times. These four games came from, 2023, 2020, 2013, and 2006. It's spilt 2-2 in these games. and the highest-scoring game came in 2020, where they scored for a combined 78 points.
Over the years both teams have been able to build some pretty good teams, but so far the Titans lead the series 23-21 in the 44 games played between the two AFC South teams. Though the Titans have a small lead so far, that could be changed in the 2024-25 season, if Houston wins both games, the series will be tied.
This rivalry has been elite and electrifying since it started in 2002. It will continue to grow and we're going to see that this year with the Titans wearing the Oilers jerseys that started a bunch of controversy this previous season. This is something that I believe we will see drive these Houston players to play just a little harder against the Titans this year.