WHEN THEY RUN
WHEN THE TITANS RUN
In their victory over the Texans at Nissan Stadium last season, the Titans ran for 198 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown by Derrick Henry. He had a long run in the opener at Miami called back. Henry (6-3, 247) and Dion Lewis (5-8, 195) are a distinctive duo. Henry likes to pound between the tackles but has the speed to get outside. Lewis, who’s also an excellent receiver, has speed to get outside but will run between the tackles, too. They like to play two tight ends to give them two strong sides for the runMariota ning game. Quarterback Marcus is a splendid runner, so the Texans have to contend with three threats. If Blaine Gabbert plays, he’s more of a pocket passer. The Texans are usually good against the run, but they surrendered 122 yards rushing at New England. The defensive backs, especially safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Kareem Jackson, aren’t bashful about making physical tackles. They have to be careful on play-action fakes.
WHEN THE TEXANS RUN
The 167 yards offense rushing accumulated at New England. Lamar Miller, Alfred Blue and Deshaun Watson ran for at least 36 yards each, led by Miller’s 98, including a 31-yarder. Overall, they averaged 4.9 yards a carry. Bill O’Brien, who calls the plays, likes to establish the run early. He’d like for them to have more than 30 carries and try to control the clock. The Titans have to beware of Watson’s running ability. He ran eight times for 40 yards against the Patriots. If he sees a seam, he’ll take off. If he has to turn the corner, he’ll do that, too. The linemen did a good job of run blocking for Miller and Blue, who hit the holes fast and showed some burst. The Titans gave up 120 yards rushing against the Dolphins. Expect the Texans to try to pound the ball between the tackles and try to control the line of scrimmage.