Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates (13) greets Tennessee Titans running back Jamie Harper (23) after an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, in Houston. The Titans defeated the Texans 23-22.

(AP Photo by Dave Einsel)

HOUSTON — The Tennessee Titans’ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion. Their playoff hopes officially ended a few hours later.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston’s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak’s first season, but its postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

When the Broncos lost to Kansas City, the Titans were knocked out of playoff contention.

“We knew that was the situation we were in, and we could only do what we could do,” Hasselbeck said. “We were focused on taking care of business and handling the things that we could control. Finishing 9-7 is something we can be proud about whether we get the help or we don’t.”

The Titans got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when Ahmard Hall fumbled, and Jake Delhomme drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began. They will play Cincinnati (9-7) next weekend in the franchise’s first postseason game. Houston beat the Bengals 20-19 on Dec. 11.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game, I had a tight end [Garrett Graham] playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end Joel Dreessen was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center Thomas Austin flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The victory turned out to mean nothing for the Titans.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would’ve landed the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

But a 27-13 loss in Indianapolis two weeks ago proved costly, and the Titans will sit out the playoffs for the third straight season.

“We knew that after we lost to the Colts, which was kind of a low point for us, at that point we were 7-7,” Hasselbeck said. “Coach Munchak came and said: ‘Hey, there’s a lot of things this season that could have gone better, that we could have done better, but we didn’t. That’s in the past and there’s nothing we can do about that.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at [Monday], at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Ben Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal, Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

HOUSTON — The Tennessee Titans’ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion. Their playoff hopes officially ended a few hours later.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston’s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak’s first season, but its postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

When the Broncos lost to Kansas City, the Titans were knocked out of playoff contention.

“I was proud of the guys for bouncing back the last two weeks and putting ourselves in the position to reach the playoffs,” Munchak said in a statement, “but we also put ourselves in the position of needing help and it didn’t work out for us today.”

The Titans got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when Ahmard Hall fumbled, and Jake Delhomme drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

“We knew that was the situation we were in and we could only do what we could do,” Hasselbeck said. “We were focused on taking care of business and handling the things that we could control. Finishing 9-7 is something we can be proud about whether we get the help or we don’t.”

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began. They will play Cincinnati (9-7) next Saturday in the franchise’s first postseason game. Houston beat the Bengals 20-19 on Dec. 11.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game, I had a tight end (Garrett Graham) playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end Joel Dreessen was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center Thomas Austin flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The victory turned out to mean nothing for the Titans.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would’ve landed the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

But a 27-13 loss in Indianapolis two weeks ago proved costly, and the Titans will sit out the playoffs for the third straight season.

“We knew that after we lost to the Colts, which was kind of a low point for us, at that point we were 7-7,” Hasselbeck said. “Coach Munchak came and said: `Hey, there’s a lot of things this season that could have gone better, that we could have done better, but we didn’t. That’s in the past and there’s nothing we can do about that.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday), at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Ben Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal, Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Notes: Hall and Titans LT Mike Otto left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR Damian Williams has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday. … The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak. … Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Tennessee Titans‘ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion. Their playoff hopes officially ended a few hours later.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston‘s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak‘s first season, but its postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

When the Broncos lost to Kansas City, the Titans were knocked out of playoff contention.

“I was proud of the guys for bouncing back the last two weeks and putting ourselves in the position to reach the playoffs,” Munchak said in a statement, “but we also put ourselves in the position of needing help and it didn’t work out for us today.”

The Titans got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when Ahmard Hall fumbled, and Jake Delhomme drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

“We knew that was the situation we were in and we could only do what we could do,” Hasselbeck said. “We were focused on taking care of business and handling the things that we could control. Finishing 9-7 is something we can be proud about whether we get the help or we don’t.”

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began. They will play Cincinnati (9-7) next Saturday in the franchise’s first postseason game. Houston beat the Bengals 20-19 on Dec. 11.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game, I had a tight end (Garrett Graham) playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end Joel Dreessen was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center Thomas Austin flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The victory turned out to mean nothing for the Titans.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would’ve landed the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

But a 27-13 loss in Indianapolis two weeks ago proved costly, and the Titans will sit out the playoffs for the third straight season.

“We knew that after we lost to the Colts, which was kind of a low point for us, at that point we were 7-7,” Hasselbeck said. “Coach Munchak came and said: ‘Hey, there’s a lot of things this season that could have gone better, that we could have done better, but we didn’t. That’s in the past and there’s nothing we can do about that.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday), at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Ben Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal, Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Notes: Hall and Titans LT Mike Otto left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR Damian Williams has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday. … The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak. … Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Tennessee Titans‘ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion.

The Texans botched it, and the Titans stayed alive in the playoff hunt — at least for a few more hours.

Matt Hasselbeck threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston‘s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak‘s first season, but its postseason fate depended on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

The Titans got some early help when the New York Jets lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when Ahmard Hall fumbled, and Jake Delhomme drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a two-point conversion to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game, I had a tight end (Garrett Graham) playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end Joel Dreessen was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center Thomas Austin flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

Kubiak and Munchak shared a chuckle at midfield after the game.

“I think if they were shooting for the playoffs, they probably kick the extra point and go to overtime,” Munchak said.

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan took offense to Kubiak’s decision.

“I think they wanted to show that no matter who they put on the field, they want to embarrass us and beat us,” Finnegan said. “And we ended up winning.”

The victory might turn out to mean nothing.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would land the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

“Of course, having a chance to still make the playoffs is a great thing,” running back Chris Johnson said. “That’s one of the team goals around here to make the playoffs and hopefully make it to the Super Bowl.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday), at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and Rob Bironas kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by Jurrell Casey and Derrick Morgan. He completed passes to Dreessen and James Casey for first downs, before Ben Tate and Derrick Ward started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal, Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end Dave Ball sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety Chris Hope recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to Jared Cook, then found Donnie Avery in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to Andre Johnson to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games with a strained left hamstring.

Notes: Hall and Titans LT Mike Otto left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR Damian Williams has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday. … Chris Johnson is the third player in Titans history to reach 1,000 yards rushing in at least four straight seasons, joining Eddie George (1996-2000) and Earl Campbell (1978-81). … Bironas extended his own NFL record by kicking a field goal of at least 40 yards in his 10th consecutive game. … The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak. … Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder surgery.

HOUSTON (AP) — The
Tennessee Titans
‘ regular-season finale came down to a 2-point conversion. Their playoff hopes officially ended a few hours later.

Matt Hasselbeck
threw two touchdown passes, and Tennessee staved off Houston’s last-minute rally in a 23-22 victory Sunday.

Tennessee (9-7) earned its first winning record since 2008 in Mike Munchak’s first season, but its postseason fate depended
on the outcome of later games in Cincinnati, Oakland and Denver.

When the Broncos lost to Kansas City, the Titans were knocked out of playoff contention.

“I was proud of the guys for bouncing back the last two weeks and putting ourselves in the position to reach the playoffs,”
Munchak said in a statement, “but we also put ourselves in the position of needing help and it didn’t work out for us today.”

The Titans got some early help when the
New York Jets
lost in Miami, but then had to sweat out the final two minutes when
Ahmard Hall
fumbled, and
Jake Delhomme
drove Houston for a touchdown with 14 seconds left.

“We knew that was the situation we were in and we could only do what we could do,” Hasselbeck said. “We were focused on taking
care of business and handling the things that we could control. Finishing 9-7 is something we can be proud about whether we
get the help or we don’t.”

The Texans (10-6) were locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs before the game began. They will play Cincinnati (9-7)
next Saturday in the franchise’s first postseason game. Houston beat the Bengals 20-19 on Dec. 11.

With their position secured and nothing to lose but more players to injury, coach Gary Kubiak called for a 2-point conversion
to avoid overtime and win the game in regulation.

“You would never go for 2 there in any other situation,” Kubiak said. “But where we were physically, at the end of the game,
I had a tight end (
Garrett Graham
) playing linebacker. Our team, I had to get them to next week.”

But tight end
Joel Dreessen
was flagged for illegal motion, and then backup center
Thomas Austin
flipped the snap over Delhomme’s head and the game was over.

The victory turned out to mean nothing for the Titans.

Tennessee needed the Bengals to lose to Baltimore and victories by Oakland and Denver to earn a playoff berth. And that would’ve
landed the Titans right back in Houston next week to play the Texans.

But a 27-13 loss in Indianapolis two weeks ago proved costly, and the Titans will sit out the playoffs for the third straight
season.

“We knew that after we lost to the Colts, which was kind of a low point for us, at that point we were 7-7,” Hasselbeck said.
“Coach Munchak came and said: `Hey, there’s a lot of things this season that could have gone better, that we could have done
better, but we didn’t. That’s in the past and there’s nothing we can do about that.”

The Texans, meanwhile, will head into the franchise’s first postseason on a three-game losing streak and new concerns about
their quarterback.

Rookie starter T.J. Yates left the game after one series and was replaced by the 36-year-old Delhomme. Kubiak said Yates had
a bruised left shoulder but could’ve returned if necessary.

“Obviously, I didn’t want him to go back in the game,” Kubiak said. “We’ll know better where we’re at (Monday), at this point.”

Delhomme, signed Nov. 29 in the wake of season-ending injuries to starter
Matt Schaub
and backup
Matt Leinart
, completed 18 of 28 passes in his first action since December 2010.

Johnson ran for 61 yards to go over 1,000 for the fourth consecutive season, and
Rob Bironas
kicked three field goals for Tennessee.

“It was an interesting ending,” Munchak said. “Our goal was to come in here and win this game. We did that. We’re 9-7 and
that’s all we can control.”

Yates was sacked on Houston’s first snap by
Jurrell Casey
and
Derrick Morgan
. He completed passes to Dreessen and
James Casey
for first downs, before
Ben Tate
and
Derrick Ward
started alternating touches for the rest of the drive.

Tate plowed into the end zone with 5:15 left in the first quarter, but Yates came off the field favoring his left shoulder
and went to the locker room.

Yates jogged back to the Houston sideline for the start of the second quarter. But after Bironas kicked a 21-yard field goal,
Delhomme returned for the Texans’ next possession.

Titans defensive end
Dave Ball
sacked Delhomme and knocked the ball loose, and safety
Chris Hope
recovered at the Texans 33. Hasselbeck threw a 25-yard pass to
Jared Cook
, then found
Donnie Avery
in the corner of the end zone to move Tennessee in front.

Hasselbeck completed 22 of 35 passes for 297 yards without an interception.

Delhomme threw a 16-yard pass to
Andre Johnson
to get Houston moving again. Johnson caught two passes and sat out the second half after missing the previous three games
with a strained left hamstring.

Notes: Hall and Titans LT
Mike Otto
left with “probable” concussions, Munchak said. WR
Damian Williams
has a rib injury, Munchak said, and would be re-evaluated Monday. … The Texans dropped to 5-1 in season finales under Kubiak.
… Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips worked from the press box after missing two games following kidney and gall bladder
surgery.

© 2011 STATS LLC

HOUSTON – The Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans have different objectives in mind heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale.

For the Titans (8-7), the goal is clear-cut — win at Reliant Stadium and then hope for the magic combination of losses involving Cincinnati, Denver, Oakland and the New York Jets to earn their first playoff berth since 2008.

And that would set up a rematch with the Texans in the first round of the post-season right back in Houston.

“If we don’t take care of our business, there will be no scoreboard watching,” kicker Rob Bironas said. “We’ll be on the couch watching — for all of January.”

For the Texans (10-5), the incentive is more intangible — regaining the momentum they seem to have lost in two consecutive defeats after reeling off seven straight wins to clinch their first AFC South title.

Houston has nothing at stake in terms of post-season positioning. The Texans are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC, and will host a game on the first weekend of the playoffs, no matter what happens.

But no one in the locker room wants to go into the franchise’s first post-season game riding a losing streak.

“This game is more important than most people will ever know,” defensive end Antonio Smith said. “You think that since it doesn’t hurt us or help us as far as the playoff run, that it doesn’t matter.

“You’ve got to be firing on all cylinders when you go into the playoffs,” he said. “If not, man, ain’t no telling what will happen.”

The Texans kick-started their regular season with a 41-7 victory in Nashville on Oct. 23. They stayed in first place for the rest of the regular season, despite playing most of their games without star receiver Andre Johnson.

The five-time Pro Bowl selection has been practicing this week, and coach Gary Kubiak expects Johnson to play in the finale. Johnson sat out six games with a right hamstring injury that required minor surgery, started the next two games and then strained his left hamstring. He’s been sidelined for the last three games, and he’s eager to see some action on Sunday, just so he can regain some stamina and timing.

“I’m excited,” Johnson said. “I feel like I haven’t played football all year. It’ll be fun to get back out there and run around a little bit.”

Houston also hopes to have defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips back calling the plays, but from the press box instead of on the sideline. Phillips, 64, returned to practice this week after undergoing kidney and gall bladder surgery on Dec. 15.

“It’s awesome to have him back,” rookie outside linebacker Brooks Reed said. “He just has that personality where no matter what goes wrong, he’s always calm and I think that is kind of contagious throughout.”

The Titans, meanwhile, only have flickering playoff hopes because of a 23-17 victory over Jacksonville last week. They lost to the previously winless Colts on Dec. 18, a setback that now looms large.

And they also remember how the Texans manhandled them on their home field, holding Tennessee to 148 yards and 11 first downs. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck conceded that the Titans took their divisional rivals too lightly the first time around.

“I think we probably underestimated how good they were physically,” Hasselbeck said. “They’re one of the premier teams in the NFL this year and it just hasn’t been the case sometimes in the past.

“They were fantastic that game we played against them here,” he said. “They were making plays all over the field in all phases and they really took it to us. I think that’s probably the toughest game we’ve played this year in terms of just, we were feeling one thing and they really disrupted what our thoughts were and took it to us.”

Chris Johnson rushed for only 18 yards in that game, but he’s had three 100-yard games since, all Tennessee victories. Johnson needs only 14 yards rushing on Sunday to reach 1,000 yards for the fourth consecutive season.

“We’re fully aware that he can just break out any time,” Reed said, “and we just need to secure edges and just make sure he doesn’t get out in too many open spaces because that’s where he’s dangerous.”

The Texans’ running backs dominated the earlier meeting.

Arian Foster and Ben Tate both went over 100 yards, and Foster also had 100 yards receiving. Foster, named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season, has seven 100-yard games this year and has topped 100 yards rushing in Houston’s last two season finales, both victories.

Kyle Orton threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Correll Buckhalter with 1:33 left, and the Denver Broncos rallied and beat the Tennessee Titans 26-20 on Sunday.

The Broncos (2-2) clinched the victory when they kicked short on the ensuing kickoff, trying to avoid rookie Marc Mariani who already had a 98-yard return for a touchdown. The Titans (2-2) let the ball bounce, and Mariani tried to jump up and catch it only to be hit by David Bruton.

Cassius Vaughn recovered, and Matt Prater kicked his fourth field goal to pad the lead.

Tennessee had one last chance with 33 seconds left, but Vince Young’s third incompletion fell to the turf as time expired to overshadow a game in which Tennessee had a season-high six sacks and an interception.

Denver came in with the NFL’s top passing offense, and Orton finished with 341 yards passing and two touchdowns as Denver held the ball more than 35 minutes. The Broncos, who got only two field goals on five trips inside their opponent 20 in losing to the Colts last week, scored on six of seven such trips against the NFL’s best defense in that category.

The only time the Broncos didn’t score?

When Jabar Gaffney couldn’t collect a low throw from Orton at the back of the end zone with 4:33 left. Gaffney atoned for that on the next drive as Orton threw deep to the receiver, and officials flagged Titans safety Chris Hope for pass interference putting the ball at the Tennessee 1.

Orton put Denver ahead with his TD pass to Buckhalter, his second of the game.

Denver’s defense also did its part with two sacks and one turnover. The Broncos held Tennessee to just 46 of its 288 yards on offense in the second half. Chris Johnson ran for only 53 yards.

Tennessee led 20-16 after Mariani’s kickoff return for a TD in the third quarter, and Rob Bironas kicked his second field goal of the game with 5:00 left in the third quarter.

The Titans sacked Orton three times in the first quarter alone and outgained the Broncos 115-15. But Bironas pushed a 35-yard field goal wide right, and Johnson fumbled to end two drives deep into Denver territory.

Denver took advantage of a roughing call by Sen’Derrick Marks on Orton on third down where the lineman appeared to grab the quarterback around the thigh. A play later, the Titans jumped offside for a neutral zone infraction that prompted defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil to throw an obscene gesture at officials that was caught by television cameras.

A play later, Orton put Denver up 7-0 with a 2-yard TD pass to Eddie Royal.

The Titans answered almost immediately. Javon Ringer, Johnson’s backup, broke loose on a 54-yard run, and Young found Kenny Britt for an 8-yard TD to tie it up on the next drive. The teams swapped field goals to go into halftime tied at 10 apiece with Bironas kicking a 55-yarder as time expired to atone for his earlier miss.

The Tennessee Titans were banged up following their Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on November 6, 2011. Dave Ball(notes) suffered another concussion after his head snapped back against the turf. Jason McCourty(notes) and Michael Griffin(notes) were involved in a collision but both returned to the game. Ahmard Hall(notes) had to leave the game after he re-aggravated a back injury. Nate Washington(notes), Lavelle Hawkins(notes) and Jared Cook(notes) were other players who were considered as questionable immediately after that loss.

The Titans received good news on those last three players: all of them are expected to return for their Week 10 matchup with the Carolina Panthers on November 13. According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean via Twitter:

Munchak said he expects Cook, Washington and Hawkins should all play vs Panthers.

The Titans can’t afford to lose Washington for any amount of time. At 4-4, the Titans have five of their remaining eight games on the road. They have a brutal schedule over the next four weeks that includes three road games against the Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills. They’ll host the New Orleans Saints after that stretch.

The Titans have already lost their go-to receiver after Kenny Britt(notes) suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. The offense has essentially flat-lined since then. Damian Williams(notes) and Hawkins haven’t evolved into the No. 2 receiver that the Titans desperately need. Chris Johnson finally showed some of his original burst that earned him that $53.5-million contract extension during training camp.

The Titans will need Johnson to build off of that performance if they want to defeat the Panthers. The Panthers are currently ranked 27^th in run defense as they’re surrendering over 133 yards per game. The Panthers’ run defense has struggled after season-ending injuries to linebackers Thomas Davis(notes) and Jon Beason(notes).

The Titans will need to score points or limit the offensive possessions that Cam Newton(notes) has. Albeit a rookie quarterback, Newton has led the Panthers to an offense that is fifth in overall yardage and passing yards. He’s getting better and starting to eliminate the turnovers that plagued him through the first few weeks. Barrett Ruud(notes) will be heavily relied upon as the Panthers feature Greg Olsen(notes) and Jeremy Shockey(notes) as tight ends.

The Titans just lost to one rookie-of-the-year candidate in Andy Dalton(notes). A loss to Newton could be the deathblow to their 2011-12 season. The Houston Texans already have a 1.5-game lead on the Titans.

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network

Nashville Predators Sign Goaltender Pekka Rinne to Seven-year, $49-million Contract: Local Fan’s Take

Mike Munchak Insists that Chris Johnson is the Tennessee Titans’ Starting Running Back: Local Fan’s Take

What is the Beef with the Chicago Cubs and Ryne Sandberg? Fan’s Perspective

Dan Marino, Not Peyton Manning, Should Be NFL’s 2011-12 MVP: Green Bay Packer Fan’s Take

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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Don’t look now but the Tennessee Titans are leading the AFC South.
Will the Titans go after T.O.?
(Don Wright – AP)

Sure, the Colts had no shot to claim their eighth division title in nine years without Peyton Manning and the Jaguars are starting a rookie quarterback.

But the Houston Texans teams that pundits figured would cake walk to the playoffs is currently 3-3, a half game behind the Titans who had their bye last week.

And so far, Tennessee has won with minimal contributions three-time Pro Bowl running back Chris Johnson. But for the Titans to stay in the division hunt, they’ll need to bolster an offensive that took a major hit when wide receiver Kenny Britt was lost for the season to a torn ACL and MCL.

Enter… Terrell Owens?

When Britt went down last month, Titans coach Mike Munchak said the 37-year-old Owens was not on the team’s radar.

But after the Titans missed out Brandon Lloyd — who Denver dealt to St. Louis on Monday — Munchak is reconsidering.

“That’s something that at some point when (Owens’) health is better and he can pass a physical — people thought the midpoint of the season, maybe — he might be a guy that may be able to work out to prove where he’s at,” the first-year coach told the Tennessean. “If he has a way of helping our team win, then for sure you’re going to take a look at him.”

The Titans are 1-1 since losing Britt, but quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s numbers have taken a considerable hit in his absence — his average yards per game have dropped from 311 to 231.

Tennessee’s leading receivers over that span are tight end Jared Cook (76 yards per game) and veteran Nate Washington (66 ypg) — sufficient proof that the Titans could use another threat in the passing game.

Could T.O. — who’s still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in April — be that guy? He certainly seems to think so — despite recent comments from former GM Charley Casserly to the contrary.

Earlier this month Owens told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he could return in “a month or less.”

For now, the Titans will roll with what they’ve got, but if Owens can hit his optimistic recovery time table, he may get a call from Tennessee.

“A lot is going to depend for us on how we are producing at that (wide receiver) postion three weeks or two weeks from now, and how we’re doing (overall),” Munchak said. “All those things will factor into it. But I’m sure whenever you’ve got a player that has his capabilities, everyone’s going to know exactly where he’s at. If he has a way of helping our team win, then for sure you’re going to take a look at him.”

(H/T Pro Football Talk)

Read More: Brandon Lloyd (WR – DEN), Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers

With just four days remaining before the NFL trade deadline hits, interested teams will inquire about Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who is reportedly quite available. Two teams have already emerged as potential landing spots, but it seems unlikely that either place will trade for him–at least according to the beat writers.

The Carolina Panthers could use another wide receiver opposite Steve Smith, which would help rookie quarterback Cam Newton. However, long-time Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt thinks a trade won’t happen between the two teams because Lloyd is an aging veteran who is a free agent and wants a nice, new contract at the end of the year. Those are all reasons the Broncos want to trade him.

The Tennessee Titans are also a possibility as they lost receiver Kenny Britt to a right knee injury in a game against the Broncos this season. Jim Wyatt of the Nashville Tennessean believes the Titans are interested in Lloyd as well as other receivers. He doesn’t believe the Titans will make a deal with any team.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

LOS ANGELES – Tennessee Titans [team stats] quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has spent much more of his NFL career under the radar than under the microscope.

In many ways he has enjoyed that, going from Seattle to Nashville and joking that sometimes feels like being enrolled in the witness protection program. But with the way Hasselbeck is playing, he can’t hide much longer.

Through the first four games, he’s looked like the smartest free-agent acquisition of the season. His Titans are 3-1 heading into Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh, and he’s second in the AFC to New England’s Tom Brady [stats] with a 104.7 passer rating. Hasselbeck has eight touchdowns, three interceptions, and has been sacked just four times.

“I’m not trying to do anything crazy, I’m just being myself,” he said in a phone interview this week. “When Coach (Mike) Munchak brought me here, he was like, ’Listen, we don’t need you to try to do anything that you’ve never done. We need you to be what you’ve been in Seattle the last 10 years. We’ve got all the other pieces.’

“There are signs around the building that just say, ’Be a pro.’ That’s all they’re looking for. I’m down with that.”

And the Titans are decidedly up. They’re coming off consecutive victories over Baltimore, Denver and Cleveland and now look to be getting star running back Chris Johnson going – he had his first 100-yard game of the season last Sunday – although they have lost top receiver Kenny Britt to a knee injury.

From the perspective of the 36-year-old Hasselbeck, everything starts with the Tennessee offensive line, which for 16 years was coached by Munchak, a Hall of Fame lineman. The line is now coached by Bruce Matthews, also among the elite linemen in Canton, and assistant Al Valero, who was with Hasselbeck in Seattle last season.

Over the past four seasons in Seattle, Hasselbeck was sacked 113 times and missed 13 games because of various injuries. The Seahawks made a lot of changes along their offensive line during that span, including using No. 1 picks on tackles the past two years. This is one quarterback who understands the value of a cohesive unit up front, and he knows his head coach feels the same way.

“This guy gets it,” Hasselbeck said of Munchak. “He gets that you can have whoever you want at wide receiver, but if you don’t have a good offensive line that’s been together, if you don’t start there, then so what?”

It doesn’t hurt Hasselbeck’s cause that Tennessee’s defense has allowed a league-low 14.0 points per game.

“Coming to Tennessee was a fantastic move for him,” NBC’s Cris Collinsworth said of Hasselbeck. “In the middle of that Ravens game, I started seeing some of the flair and the fun and the sidearm throws that have always been his trademark as a quarterback, and I was like, ’Uh oh.’ If you have this guy and he’s healthy and he’s getting protected, and Chris Johnson when he gets back up to speed … they’re going to be something.”

Hasselbeck concedes it wasn’t easy to leave Seattle – he liked playing for Coach Pete Carroll – but said the Seahawks made it clear they planned to move on without him.

“They were super honest with me when the lockout ended,” Hasselbeck said. “They called me and said, ’Hey, listen, there’s no easy way to say this: We’re going to go in a different direction.’ It was basically, we’re breaking up with you. … It’s never easy to hear that, but I appreciated the honesty. I didn’t have to read it on the ticker.”

His assumption was he’d stay in the NFC West, maybe landing in either Arizona or San Francisco. Instead, it was Tennessee that pursued him most aggressively, saying he would be more than a short-term bridge to rookie quarterback Jake Locker; someone who could start multiple seasons.

“We thought he had a lot left in the tank from watching him in the playoffs last year,” Munchak said. “We didn’t bring him in here to retire quietly. We brought him here to do exactly what he’s been doing.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Titans have jelled quickly under a new defensive co-ordinator and now five different starters from a year ago. They have given up the fewest points in the NFL and are allowing the least yards per play.

Safety Jordan Babineaux has a warning for opponents: The Titans can be even better.

“The thing that you all don’t see is the fact that we’re winning, but we’re still not playing our best football,” Babineaux said Wednesday. “That’s scary. Watch out.”

The Titans (3-1) care most about keeping opponents out of the end zone and have done a good job so far doing just that. Nobody has scored more than 16 points against Tennessee so far, and that was Jacksonville in an opening 16-14 loss. The Titans haven’t lost since then, giving up 13 in beating Baltimore, 14 to Denver and 13 in last week’s win at Cleveland.

“You keep them out of the end zone, you put yourself in position to win that’s for sure,” Babineaux said. “One of the other things is great team defence will get that done whether you’re first in the run game or last in the passing, it doesn’t matter. If your red zone efficiency and you’re able to keep teams out of the end zone … we’re giving the offence a great chance to score points.”

The Titans also are holding opponents to a league-fewest 4.36 yards per play. They have given up only 10 plays of 20 or more yards through the first four games, tied with Cincinnati for fewest in the NFL. Only one of those came on a run play when Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 21 yards in the opener, and they haven’t given up a pass play longer than 32 yards.

That point stat is what matters most to the Titans.

“We’re very proud of that,” cornerback Jason McCourty said. “At the beginning of the year we came in and that’s what we talked about. Championship teams and the amount of points they’ve let up.”

Mike Munchak hired Jerry Gray as his defensive co-ordinator in February shortly after he was promoted to head coach. Gray took over a defence that ranked 15th in the league in points allowed but 26th in total yards and 29th against the past. No NFL defence gave up more first downs per game than the Titans. It didn’t help that the NFL lockout wiped out the off-season.

The Titans stocked up on defence in the draft, and linebacker Akeem Ayers, a second-round pick out of UCLA, has worked with the starting defence since the first practice of training camp with tackle Jurrell Casey of Southern California starting in the middle. Each has started the first four games, the first time that’s happened since this franchise switched nicknames to the Titans in 1999.

Ayers already has 20 tackles, a sack and 20 quarterback pressures. Casey has 19 tackles with three quarterback pressures.

They aren’t the only new faces. Tennessee added veteran Barrett Ruud at middle linebacker, tackle Shaun Smith to add size in the middle of the line next to Casey and Babineaux started two games while Chris Hope recovered from a dislocated shoulder. Now Babineaux will be starting while Hope recovers from a broken left forearm.

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan credits Gray with playing everyone to their strengths. That includes moving Finnegan from covering receivers near the sideline in passing situations into the slot, which Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has noticed as the Steelers (2-2) prepare to host Tennessee on Sunday.

“I really think it is awesome utilization of his natural skills and awareness,” Tomlin said. “He is doing an awesome job of it, not only creating plays for himself but for others. It is pretty special.”

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he has to find Finnegan on the field. But he thinks the Titans’ strength on defence is up front.

“They have a very good D-line that really has high motors and gets after the ball,” Roethlisberger said.

The Titans gave up a late touchdown to Cleveland last week that didn’t matter on the scoreboard in a 31-13 win. That didn’t Gray from continuing to teach his players on the sideline. Finnegan said they are working to eliminate mental errors, and McCourty said Gray expects perfection from them.

“As a player, you’ve got to love that a coach is going to stay on you and try to get the best out of you,” McCourty said. “The fact that we’re up a lot of points and he’s still coaching, still getting after us, he knows that there’s a bigger picture beyond the game.”

Notes: TE Craig Stevens (ribs) did not practice Wednesday along with WR Marc Mariani (hip). S Michael Griffin was limited due a stomach virus, and LB Gerald McRath (left knee) practised after sitting out last week.