First half thoughts from Texans-Titans

AFC South Blog

September, 20, 2009

Sep 20

2:55

PM ET

By Paul Kuharsky

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Were you expecting a shootout at LP Field? I’ll admit I wasn’t. At the half we’ve got a 24-24 deadlock.

Some thoughts at intermission:

Here’s the other side of Matt Schaub. Skittish under pressure last week, he’s got three touchdown passes in 30 minutes this week and has made some excellent throws, even without No. 2 receiver Kevin Walter (hamstring) again. And that’s with a handful of drops working against him, too.
Know how you bemoan a draw on third-and-long every time? The Titans gave everyone in the league film they can show for why it’s worth a crack. Chris Johnson converted a third-and-19 with a 57-yard touchdown run.
The team that cleans up better may win. Way too many penalties, particularly from jumpy linemen on both sides. Four for each team doesn’t tell the whole story, because we’ve had plays made and penalties declined.
I am sure we’ll revisit this again, but I can’t help but watch the Texans use more than two safeties when they are healthy and think it’s evidence of how they don’t have two guys worth playing start to finish like other teams want to do. Nice pick for Eugene Wilson. But if Dominique Barber is leaving the field for John Busing at times, what does it say?
Don’t know who made the biggest mistake on leaving Johnson alone on the 69-yard touchdown. It sure looked like Titans free safety Michael Griffin carelessly bit on play action that resulted in Andre Johnson running alone for a 72-yard TD.

Tags:

Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Michael Griffin, Andre Johnson, Dominique Barber, Matt Schaub, Eugene Wilson, Chris Johnson, Kevin Walter, Texans-Titans 092009

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