Recap: Titans losing streak now at 5 games after loss to Houston Texans

The Tennessee Titans will try to score their first win in more than a month when they host the Houston Texans in a Christmas Eve showdown.

The Titans (7-7) face the Texans (1-12-1) from Nissan Stadium on Saturday (noon, CBS) in a battle between two teams with long losing streaks. The Texans have lost nine straight and the Titans have lost four in a row, loosening their grip on the AFC South lead to just a half-game over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Rookie quarterback Malik Willis is expected to make his third start for the Titans with regular starter Ryan Tannehill ruled out with an ankle injury. Willis led the Titans to a 17-10 win over the Texans on Oct. 30, though he only threw for 55 yards in that game. The Titans' rushing attack was dominant in that victory, gashing Houston for 314 yards, including 219 and two scores from running back Derrick Henry.

Temperatures are expected to be below freezing with wind chill that could drop the feels-like temperature into single digits, making this potentially one of the coldest games in Nissan Stadium history. The previous record for the coldest temperature at kickoff in Nashville was 23 degrees, set on Dec. 31, 2017 when the Titans hosted the Jaguars. Factoring in wind chill, the coldest game the Titans have ever hosted was on Christmas Day 2000 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Follow below for live updates as the Titans host the Texans.

Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans: Live score updates

Postgame links

INSTANT RECAP: Tennessee Titans lose fifth straight game in excruciating way against NFL-worst Houston Texans

BRRRRR: Tennessee Titans' Christmas Eve game vs. Texans is coldest home game in team history

ADDING TO THE INJURY LIST: Tennessee Titans LB Zach Cunningham leaves game with injury in return from IR

Fourth quarter

FINAL: Texans 19, Titans 14.

Jalen Pitre intercepts Malik Willis in the end zone on the final hope for the Titans.

Malik Willis finishes 14 of 23 for 99 yards and two interceptions. Derrick Henry with 126 yards on 23 carries and a TD.

The Jaguars now stand as the leaders in the AFC South, though that isn't all that important. Why? Tennessee's loss today guarantees a winner-take-all Week 18 matchup in Jacksonville.

5 seconds left: A wild play that included a Malik Willis fumble and a Texans facemask ends in an Austin Hooper catch at the Tennessee 41-yard line. Add the 15 yard penalty, and the Titans will have a shot to heave it up.

1:17 left: Titans get the stop, but Cam Johnston's punt lands at the 3-yard line. One timeout remaining.

1:39 left: That's the mistake Tennessee could not have. Malik Willis throws an interception right to Christian Harris. A bad, bad decision.

Titans have three timeouts. Texans ball at the Titans' 40-yard line.

2:00 left: Titans have the ball at the Tennessee 49-yard line at the two-minute warning.

Brandin Cooks go-ahead TD puts Texans in lead

2:52 left: Touchdown Houston. Davis Mills has all the time in the world to find Brandin Cooks for a tTD.

Two-point try no good. Texans 19, Titans 14.

4:30 left: Amari Rodgers with a long catch to put Houston in the red zone.

5:21 left: Titans three-and-out. Texans can take lead on this drive.

7:25 left: Titans defense holds on goal-to-go, forces a Texans field goal.

Titans 14, Texans 13.

13:53 left: Derrick Henry loses another fumble. Texans recover.

Three games in a row, Henry has lost a fumble. Six total fumbles this year, a career-high. No matter how strong you are, holding the ball with one arm through a pile of defenders doesn't always work.

Bud Dupree (chest) is questionable to return.

Third quarter

6:10 left: Titans turn the ball over on downs on 4th and 8. Malik Willis incomplete.

7:01 left: Jack Gibbens picks off Davis Mills off a deflection. This game is turning.

Malik Willis won't be denied

8:51 left: Touchdown Titans! Malik Willis bullies his way into the end zone for a 14-yard TD run, his first in the NFL.

Titans 14, Texans 10. A 6-play drive with six rushes.

Nicholas Petit-Frere was out of the game on that drive, with La'Raven Clark in the game at right tackle. Petit-Frere is questionable to return with an ankle injury, per the team.

10:22 left: Treylon Burks with a 15-yard run that has Mike Vrabel fired up.

12:30 left: Titans get a stop on 4th and 1 near midfield. Jeff Driskel tries to run the ball over left side and is stopped by Denico Autry and Joshua Kalu for a loss.

Hat tip to Teair Tart, who made the play on 3rd and 2 on a tackle.

14:43 left: Davis Mills is hit as he throws, and the ball flutters to Brandin Cooks for a 16-yard catch on third down. That'll make Shane Bowen shake his head.

Second quarter

HALFTIME: Texans lead the Titans 10-7.

Titans with 112 total yards. Derrick Henry with 83 yards on 11 carries. Malik Willis is 6 of 8 for 38 yards and has been sacked four times. Offense is struggling on the non-Derrick Henry plays.

1:17 left: Robert Woods catch into Houston territory. Titans in their 2-minute offense.

4:23 left: Sure looked like Texans DT Roy Lopez grabbed the facemask or helmet of Malik Willis on third down, but the penalty is a holding call on Aaron Brewer. Penalty declined, Titans punt.

6:10 left: Couple good Derrick Henry runs for a first down.

The Titans OL, with all the injuries, looks like this today:

• LT Dennis Daley

• LG Aaron Brewer

• C Corey Levin

• RG Jordan Roos

• RT Nicholas Petit-Frere

6:50 left: Texans kicker Kai Fairbairn is good from 25 yards out. Texans 10, Titans 7.

Excellent open field tackle by Lonnie Johnson on a third-down screen.

12:00 left: Texans staying ahead of the chains, chipping away at the Titans defense. Inside the Tennessee 35-yard line.

First quarter

32 seconds left: Ogbo Okoronkwo gets free of Dennis Daley and registers his second third-down sack of Malik Willis in the first quarter. That was too easy for the Texans' edge rusher.

2:23 left: A Treylon Burks 22-yard catch is wiped away by a Nicholas Petit-Frere holding penalty.

Davis Mills fumble results in a Texans TD

2:34 left: Davis Mills tries to reach out the ball at the goal line through a couple Titans players and fumbles into the end zone. Rex Burkhead recovers the ball in the end zone for the touchdown.

Titans 7, Texans 7.

3:56 left: Davis Mills to a wide open Jordan Akins to set up a first and goal.

5:00 left: Davis Mills to Jeff Driskel for a completion. Texans have been rotating the two QBs in on different packages last few weeks. Both in the game there.

Derrick Henry 48-yard TD run gets Titans on the board

8:48 left: Touchdown Titans! Derrick Henry runs through some half-hearted tackle attempts through the right side and sprints for a 48-yard touchdown.

That's a Henry run we haven't seen a lot of over the last month.

9:30 left: Malik Willis sneaks for a first down on 4th and inches. Titans into Houston territory.

12:20 left: Two teams trade three-and-outs. Titans' first drive ended with a third-down sack.

15:00 left: Texans win the toss. Titans will receive opening kickoff.

Kickoff time delayed as TVA enforces rolling blackouts

Kickoff for Saturday's game has been delayed by an hour, to 1 p.m. CT, as TVA enforces statewide blackouts.

It's the second consecutive day that TVA has enforced rolling blackouts in Nashville and elsewhere as a result of the frigid temperatures that rolled through the state on Thursday through Saturday.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted a request on Saturday morning for the game to be postponed.

THE FULL STORY: Tennessee Titans kickoff vs. Houston Texans will be delayed one hour per mayor's request

A Twitter List by nicksuss

What time, TV channel is Titans vs. Texans on?

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT. The game will be televised locally on CBS and streamed locally through Paramount Plus. Non-local viewers can stream the game with NFL Sunday Ticket.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans score vs. Houston Texans: Live updates Saturday