First place in the AFC South will be on the line when the Houston Texans visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon.
Houston (8-5) and Tennessee (8-5) are deadlocked atop the division as the postseason approaches. They will play each other twice in the final three weeks of the regular season, including a Week 17 matchup on Dec. 29 in Houston.
But first comes the high-stakes matchup on the Titans’ home field.
“It needs to be loud. It needs to be packed. It needs to be filled,” Titans running back Derrick Henry said to The Tennessean. “The beginning of the season was kind of rough, trying to find our identity. But we’ve got this thing rolling, so we need our fans to back us up. It’s a big game, a divisional opponent. So we hope everybody is there.”
Tennessee is riding a four-game winning streak, including a dominant 42-21 victory last weekend against the Oakland Raiders. The Titans are pursuing their first division title since 2008 and only their second playoff berth since then.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has led the Titans’ second-half surge. He has passed for at least two touchdowns and recorded a passer rating of at least 130 in four straight games — making him only the second signal-caller in NFL history to go on such a run. The other is Russell Wilson, who did so across five games with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.
Houston knows about great quarterback play, as well. Third-year starter Deshaun Watson has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 3,425 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season, and his career passer rating is 102.3.
One of Watson’s preferred targets is wide receiver Will Fuller, but his status for the game is uncertain because of a lingering hamstring injury. Fuller, who has 42 receptions for 598 yards and three touchdowns this season, did not play last week and was limited in Wednesday’s practice.
“I don’t know,” Titans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters when asked whether Fuller would play. “We’ll have to see.”
The Texans, who are coming off a 38-24 home loss to the heavy underdog Denver Broncos last week, rank No. 9 in total offense with 376 yards per game. The team ranks No. 11 in scoring offense with 24.4 points per game.
Tennessee’s defense ranks No. 19 with 361.6 yards allowed per game.
Despite its recent success, Tennessee’s offense ranks tied for No. 18 in the league (346.8). But the Titans measure much better in scoring offense at No. 10 (24.5).
Houston’s defense ranks No. 25 (375.3).
Henry, the Titans’ leading rusher with 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns, did not practice Wednesday because of a hamstring issue he fought through Sunday. Cornerback Adoree Jackson (foot) and wideout Adam Humphries (ankle) also sat out after not playing Sunday.
Along with Fuller, cornerback Gareon Conley (hip) and linebacker Brennan Scarlett (Achilles, shoulder) were limited for Houston.
O’Brien is embracing a divisional rivalry game with much on the line.
“It’s great,” he told reporters. “When you think about why you put the time in — OTAs, training camp, lifting weights, practicing in 100-degree heat in training camp for games like this — you’ve got a chance to participate in a big game. I think our players understand that, and I think that’s what the game is all about.”