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The Tennessee Titans were the underdog story of the 2020 playoffs. They ended Tom Brady's career in New England, beat MVP Lamar Jackson, and pushed Patrick Mahomes and the eventual Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs to the brink.
Heading into the 2021 playoffs, however, the Titans are fighting for a chance to get back to the NFL postseason. Standing between Derrick Henry's squad and the playoffs in Week 17 are the division-rival Houston Texans.
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans Head to Head
The Titans have won the last two matchups between Tennessee and Houston, and have topped the Titans in 20 of the 37 head-to-head appearances. The Texans own the largest win in the matchup's history, topping the Titans 57-14 in 2017.
Earlier this year, the Titans topped the Texans 42-36 in overtime.
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans Team News
The Texans have had a season of failure. With the failure to make the playoffs and a year of DeShaun Watson's core wasted, the firing of a head coach, and the trading of DeAndre Hopkins, the Texans don't even have the positive silver lining of their own first round draft pick.
The Dolphins own the Texans' first round pick in 2021, which projects to be a top 10, and maybe even a top 5 pick.
On the flip side, all Titans news surrounds their hunt for the playoffs. The Titans clinching scenarios for 2020 Week 17 are, according to NFL.com:
Tennessee clinches AFC South division title with:
- TEN win OR
- IND loss OR
- TEN tie + IND tie
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans Predicted Starters
Texans:
QB: DeShaun Watson
RB: David Johnson
WR: Brandon Cooks, KeKe Coutee
TE: Jordan Akins
Titans:
QB: Ryan Tannehill
RB: Derrick Henry
WR: AJ Brown, Corey Davis
TE: Jonnu Smith
Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans Predictions
The results of Week 17 in the NFL almost always come down to which team needs, and wants, to win more. Though upsets and spoilers happen, the Titans need a win to ensure a 2020 playoff appearance, and there is no indication they shouldn't get it.
The Texans have little but a divisional spoiler role to play this week, and if the Tennessee defense can hold up, they should lock up another playoff appearance.
Titans win a high-scoring affair, lock up playoff position.
