ESPN.com presents AFC South Paul Kuharsky http://espn.go.comnull 60 en-us Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:42:48 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Kris Brown missed a 42-yarder wide left at the end of the Texans' last game that could have forced overtime. He just missed a 49-yarder wide right that could have given the Texans a lead against the Titans.

This one had plenty of distance, but slid to the right.

Not ideal work from a guy known for his ability to connect from long distance.

Titans kicker Rob Bironas also has a big leg.

After Vince Young keyed a drive with two great third-down runs, Bironas hit from 50 to give the Titans a 17-14 lead.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6129/thats-two-misses-in-a-row-for-brown Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:37:52 EDT 6129 14-14.

• Boy, the Titans' option plays with Vince Young and Chris Johnson running together are electric. Does it lose some of that juice if they run it much more? Has to be tempting for Mike Heimerdinger to call more. The play calling has been a nice and effective mix, I think.
• Loyalty is nice, but should have some limits, too. Rod Hood was playing great in place of Nick Harper. Harper was ready to return from a broken forearm, and coach Jeff Fisher gave him his job back. As a reward, he got to see Andre Johnson run right past Harper for a 12-yard touchdown on a fade. I suspect the Texans are big fans of Fisher’s loyalty.
• At the end of the first quarter and going into the two-minute warning, Young and Jeff Fisher both seemed unaware of where the clock stood. The Titans burned a timeout in the first situation. Young walked to the sideline with palms up in the second, then put his arm around Fisher when he arrived for their talk. Houston could have managed the clock better just before the half when more aggressive play calling might have given them a chance at a long field goal attempt for Kris Brown.
• Houston had done largely good work containing Johnson up until a 36-yard run on Tennessee’s second scoring drive. On that run, he bounced off Brian Cushing and skipped to allow Zac Diles to fly by. I’d bet outside of that Houston was pretty happy with their defensive effort against him, and that’s saying something when the guy is averaging 6.6 yards a carry and not hurting you too badly.
• James Casey isn’t going to replace Owen Daniels, but he offers an intriguing and flexible piece for Matt Schaub. I’d like to see the Texans try to get him increasingly involved in what they are doing.
• Fullback Vonta Leach is a valued blocker and special-teamer and the Texans were surely relieved his injury was merely a knee bruise and he was back in short order.
• Too much Chris Brown. He's got twice as many carries as Steve Slaton, six to three, and is half as dynamic, at best.

]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6124/halftime-thoughts-from-reliant-stadium Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:15:39 EDT 6124 Steve Slaton would be back as their starting running back.

But it’s Chris Brown who’s gotten a big share of the work for them so far and is a more physical option.

The Titans are playing defenses that prioritize stopping Andre Johnson, who hurt them badly in the first meeting.

The Texans are playing defenses that prioritize stopping Chris Johnson, who hurt them badly in the first meeting.

So will Brown or Slaton be able to prompt Tennessee to add a defender to the box? Or will Vince Young make the Texans pay for leaving corners singled up?

Or both?

Or neither?

The answers may tell the story of this game, currently knotted at 7-7.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6119/is-brown-an-answer-for-texans Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:40:07 EDT 6119
Vince Young was unhappy, and barked at Kenny Britt, the rookie receiver who had been lined up wide right in the formation.

The Titans came out of the timeout and ran a nice option play on which Young pitched to Chris Johnson, who gained 17 yards.

Will the lost timeout come back to haunt Fisher?]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6115/will-wasted-timeout-hurt-titans Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:26:01 EDT 6115
Credit the bye week, credit Gary Kubiak and his coordinator Kyle Shanahan, credit Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton for execution and the blockers ahead of them for helping it work.

Out off the shotgun, Schaub waited for the rush, then flipped an underhanded pass to Slaton cutting across. Dave Ball had him, but got dragged into the end zone.

Now the Texans have the Titans pinned deep in their own end.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6112/texans-take-lead-with-a-twist Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:01:14 EDT 6112 Houston Texans history?

A case can certainly be made that it is. Just like their last game, a narrow loss at Indy was. Just like, win or lose tonight, the rematch Sunday against the Colts will be.

That’s life as an expansion franchise in the playoff conversation this deep into the season for the first time.

And while Gary Kubiak, coach of a 5-4 team, downplays it a bit, he likes it too.

“I think it’s positive that we’re here in the back half of the season and talking about playing in some big games,” he said. “That obviously hasn’t been the case around here in the early stages of this franchise. We’ve got a long, long way to go and we’ve got seven football games left. So much changes in this league week-to-week. We know each one is a very pivotal game for our football team. That’s what you what to be in. Heck, that’s why you’re part of this business.”]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6107/texans-biggest-game-yet-feels-like Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:31:22 EDT 6107
Tennessee

• Receiver Justin Gage
• Running back Javon Ringer
• Returner Alvin Pearman
• Linebacker David Thornton
• Linebacker Colin Allred
• Tackle Troy Kropog
• Defensive end Jevon Kearse
• Defensive tackle Jason Jones

Kenny Britt starts for Gage, Gerald McRath starts for Thornton.

Houston

• Quarterback Dan Orlovsky
• Receiver/ punt returner Jacoby Jones
• Cornerback Antwaun Molden
• Cornerback Fred Bennett
• Safety Dominique Barber
• Guard Tutan Reyes
• Defensive end Tim Jamison
• Defensive tackle Frank Okam

Glenn Martinez will return punts for Jones. He won AFC special teams player of the week honors as a member of the Denver Broncos for an 80-yard punt return for a TD against the Titans in 2007.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6101/inactives-for-titans-texans Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:19:12 EDT 6101
If they win in Houston and Jacksonville loses at San Francisco, the Colts will own the AFC South.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6096/colts-can-clinch-sunday Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:46:35 EDT 6096
A glance at the teams that look to be gaining or losing three or more spots on my ballot, which accounts for one-fourth of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings voting:

Risers:

• Philadelphia +4
• San Diego +3
• Kansas City +3

Fallers:

• Baltimore -5
• Cincinnati -3
• Pittsburgh -3
• Denver -3
• Buffalo -3

]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6091/power-rankings-preview-risers-and-fallers-7 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:09:54 EDT 6091
Gary Brackett talks about key interception in the Colts’ win over the Ravens.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/6088/video-brackett-on-win-over-ravens Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:03:53 EDT 6088