Stroud, Levis to return when Texans host Titans
HOUSTON – The Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans should get their rookie quarterbacks back when they meet Sunday after both players missed time with injuries.
Houston’s C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the NFL draft, said Thursday that he’ll start after sitting out the last two games recovering from a concussion he suffered on Dec. 10. Tennessee’s Will Levis, taken in the second round, is expected to be back after missing last week’s game with an ankle injury.
Stroud said he’s feeling good and that his time off allowed his shoulder to get some rest and for him to recover from other minor issues.
“Hopefully when I come back, I can do what I’ve been doing, that’s the plan and I hope that comes true and I’m excited for these next couple of games and this opportunity,” he said.
It’s a big game for the Texans (8-7), who remain in contention for both the AFC South title and a wild-card playoff spot, but a loss Sunday would drop their chances of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2019 to just 13%.
Stroud’s return will be a huge boost to the Texans, who beat the Titans in overtime before losing to the Browns in the last two weeks with Case Keenum filling in for the star rookie. Stroud has thrown for 3,631 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five interceptions.
He’s excited to have an opportunity to lead the Texans to the postseason in his first year after they won a combined seven games in the two seasons before he arrived.
“We’ve got to appreciate the work that we put in, but at the same time, just get one at a time,” Stroud said. “I want to keep building for hopefully making the playoffs and that’s definitely the goal and just go from there.”
Long eliminated from playoff contention, the Titans (5-10) wouldn’t mind playing spoiler to their division rival.
“We talk about different ways to motivate us, and that’s definitely one,” Levis said. “I just want to win games, and I’m not as much excited about knocking them out as I am just winning a football game and that’s definitely a little bit of extra motivation. But we’re going out there to put our best ball on tape and to come back with a win.”
Levis was the third QB when the Titans played Indianapolis with rookie Anthony Richardson starting on Oct. 8. By the time the rookie moved into the starting job for Tennessee, Richardson was hurt and Gardner Minshew led the Colts to a 31-28 overtime win on Dec. 3.
So this will be Levis’ first chance to play against a fellow rookie quarterback in the AFC South in a preview of a rivalry both franchises likely hope lasts for years.
The Titans are 1-6 on the road, but they did win their last away game in prime time, knocking off Miami with a stunning comeback on Dec. 11.
Shutting down Henry
The last time these teams met, the Texans held two-time rushing champ Derrick Henry to his worst game as a starter. Henry managed 9 yards rushing on 16 carries, and he added another net yard on four catches. He had rushed for 1,018 combined yards in his previous five games against Houston, a 203.6yard average.
“What happened last game, it really doesn’t matter,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said. “You have to show up every game. We can’t rest on what we did last game. … It’s going to take everyone to stop Derrick because he’s such a phenomenal running back.”