Video from recent coverage: Titans QB coach Bo Hardegree taking over play calling duties from Brian Callahan

HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie Woody Marks had a touchdown reception and ran for another score and the Houston Texans beat the Tennessee Titans 26-0 Sunday for their first win this season.

It’s the third time the Texans have shut out a team and the first time since blanking the Titans 29-0 on Nov. 28, 2010. The Titans were shut out for the first time since a 16-0 loss at Denver on Oct. 13, 2019.

C.J. Stroud threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns as the Texans scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter Sunday to put the game away and match their TD total in the previous three games combined.

The Texans (1-3) led 6-0 after two first-half field goals, but neither team got into the red zone until a 17-yard grab by Nico Collins put Houston on the 12 on the last play of the third quarter. Stroud connected with Marks for a TD on the next play, but the 2-point try failed to leave the Texans up 12-0.

Derek Stingley picked off rookie first overall pick Cam Ward on the next drive and returned it 20 yards. The Texans cashed in on that mistake when Stroud threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jayden Higgins to push the lead to 19-0 with about 9 ½ minutes to go.

An 18-yard touchdown run by Marks, a fourth-round pick from USC, made it 26-0 with less than five minutes remaining.

Marks had 69 yards rushing and 50 yards receiving.

It wasn’t a great performance by the Texans, but they did plenty to take care of a Tennessee team that hasn’t got its offense going this season despite the addition Ward. He was 10 of 26 for 108 yards with the interception.

The loss drops the Titans to 0-4 and extends their skid to 10 games going back to last season to tie their longest losing streak since moving from Houston to Tennessee in 1997. Their previous 10-game skid came when they dropped the final 10 games of the 2014 season.

Second-year coach Brian Callahan falls to 3-18 and is certainly on the hot seat as the Titans continue to struggle.

Ka’imi Fairbairn made field goals of 47 and 43 yards in the first half to give the Texans the lead. He missed from 54 yards on Houston’s first drive of the second half before the offense got moving late.

The Titans had chances to get on the board in the first half, but Joey Slye missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt on Tennessee’s first possession and his 43-yard attempt at the end of the first half was wide right.

Danielle Hunter sacked Ward two times and four other players had hits on the rookie, who has been sacked 17 times this season.

Up next

The Titans visit Arizona next Sunday and Houston travels to Baltimore.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/sports/tennessee-titans/texans-dominate-titans-26-0-for-first-win-of-the-season/