If you were watching the AFC South this past year, you know the vibes were all over the place. Honestly, the Titans vs Texans 2024 series was a perfect microcosm of how weird professional football can be. You had a Houston team that everyone expected to steamroll the division, and a Tennessee squad that was basically holding on for dear life while trying to figure out if Will Levis was actually "The Guy."
It didn't go how the pundits predicted. Not even close.
Most people look at the final standings and see the Texans at the top and the Titans at the bottom, but that doesn't tell the story of the absolute chaos that happened on the field. Especially that November game. Man, that was a fever dream.
The November Heist: How Tennessee Stole One in H-Town
Let's talk about November 24, 2024. The Texans were 7-5. The Titans were a measly 3-8. On paper, this was supposed to be a get-right game for C.J. Stroud and company. Instead, it turned into one of the most frustrating losses in Texans history.
Imagine this: The Texans defense sets a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter looked like a man possessed, racking up three sacks on his own. Usually, when you sack a quarterback eight times and get a 65-yard pick-six from Jimmie Ward, you win that game by three touchdowns.
But the Titans didn't care about the script.
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Will Levis was getting hit on basically every other dropback, yet he somehow finished with 278 yards and two touchdowns. It was the definition of "ugly-good." The turning point was a 70-yard bomb to Chig Okonkwo in the fourth quarter. It felt like the entire Texans secondary just... forgot he was there? He caught a short pass and just kept running. Nobody touched him.
Tennessee won 32-27.
The stats from that game are honestly hilarious if you aren't a Texans fan. Houston held Tony Pollard to a lot of short gains, but he still ground out 119 yards. C.J. Stroud, who is usually the poster child for ball security, threw two interceptions. It was the first time in his career he’d really struggled against an AFC South opponent like that.
And then there was Ka’imi Fairbairn. He’s been a weapon all year, even setting an NFL record for 50+ yard field goals in a single season. But with less than two minutes left and a chance to tie it? He hooked a 28-yarder wide left. You could hear a pin drop in NRG Stadium. To cap it all off, Harold Landry III sacked Stroud in the end zone for a safety to end the game.
Kinda wild, right?
Why the Texans Got Their Revenge in the Finale
By the time the rematch rolled around on January 5, 2025, the stakes had changed. The Texans were fighting for the division title and a 10-win season. The Titans? They were basically playing for the #1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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This time, Houston didn't mess around.
They won 23-14, but it wasn't even as close as the score suggests. The Titans' offense was a mess. Brian Callahan ended up rotating Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, which is usually a sign that things have gone off the rails. Levis only managed 9 completions.
The highlight—or lowlight, depending on who you root for—was Dameon Pierce. Early in the second quarter, he took a handoff and went 92 yards for a touchdown. It was a backbreaker. Tennessee spent the rest of the game sputtering, though Calvin Ridley did manage to cross the 1,000-yard mark for the season, which was about the only thing Titans fans had to cheer for that day.
Breaking Down the Matchup: Stroud vs. Levis
When you look at Titans vs Texans 2024, you're really looking at two franchises moving in opposite directions with two very different young QBs.
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- C.J. Stroud: He is the real deal, but the 2024 matchups showed he’s human. The Titans defense, led by guys like Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat, actually gave him fits by collapsing the pocket from the inside.
- Will Levis: The kid is tough. Getting sacked eight times and still winning a game is legendary stuff. But the inconsistency is glaring. One play he looks like Josh Allen, the next he’s throwing a "what was that?" interception.
The Titans' strategy in both games was clear: stop Joe Mixon. In the November upset, they held Mixon to just 22 yards on 14 carries. If you take away the Texans' run game, you make them one-dimensional. It worked once. It didn't work in January because Houston's defense decided to just live in the Titans' backfield.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Rivalry
A lot of folks think the Texans just own this matchup now because of their playoff trajectory. But the reality is that the Titans have won five of their last six games in Houston. There is something about that stadium that brings out the best in Tennessee.
Also, can we talk about the Oilers jerseys?
Every time these two play, there's that underlying tension about the history. The Titans wearing the "Luv Ya Blue" gear drives Houston fans crazy. It’s petty. It’s football. It’s great.
Actionable Insights for Next Season
If you're looking ahead to the 2025 matchups based on what we saw in 2024, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Trenches: The Texans’ offensive line struggled at times against the Titans' interior pressure. If Tennessee adds more edge help in the draft, Stroud might be under even more pressure next year.
- The "Levis" Factor: Tennessee is likely to stay aggressive. Even when Levis is struggling, Callahan isn't afraid to let him rip it deep. Expect more high-variance games.
- Special Teams Matter: Between Fairbairn’s missed chip shot and the safety, special teams and field position literally decided the first game. Don't overlook the kickers when these two meet.
- Draft Positioning: Since the Titans finished 3-14 and secured a top-tier pick, expect a very different roster when they face Houston again. They have the capital to fix that leaky offensive line.
The 2024 series was a rollercoaster. It gave us a massive upset, a record-breaking number of sacks, and a season finale that sent one team to the playoffs and the other to the draft board. Basically, it was exactly what divisional football should be.
Check the final injury reports before the next 2025 meeting, because as we saw this year, one missing piece like Will Anderson Jr. (who missed the first game) changes the entire dynamic of the pass rush. Keep an eye on the Titans' offseason moves—they've got a lot of holes to fill if they want to sweep the Texans next time.