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The Houston Texans remain one of the worst teams in the NFL, and Week 8 could be the last time for them to showcase some of their top players ahead of the trade deadline. Houston will be taking on their divisional rival in the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, so let's take a look at our Texans Week 8 predictions for this upcoming matchup.
Not much has gone right for the Texans this season, as they have struggled to create any sort of consistency on either side of the ball. That has resulted in them holding a 1-4-1 record, which is the second worst in the NFL currently. Things could get even worse, as they likely will be sellers come the deadline, although it remains to be seen who will be dealt if they decide to have a firesale at the deadline.
This will really be Houston's last shot to stay alive in the AFC South division, although even if they win here, it seems unlikely they would be able to win enough throughout the rest of the season to be a playoff team. Still, anything can happen, so with that in mind, let's jump into our predictions for the Texans and see what should be expected of them this weekend.
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3. Texans RB Dameon Pierce will score two touchdowns on the day
One of the only positives so far this season for the Texans has been the emergence of running back Dameon Pierce. The 2022 fourth-round pick burst through in a crowded Texans running back room to become the lead option, and so far, he's proven himself to be the most dangerous piece of Houston's offense.
Tennessee has done a good job of shutting down opposing running backs this season, and they will likely have similar success against Pierce in this one. Houston's offensive line has been alright this season, but unless Davis Mills actually shows up in this game (which doesn't seem likely) the Titans will have no problem loading up the box and making Pierce's life on the ground difficult.
Pierce won't have a very efficient day on the ground, but he will find his way into the end zone twice, once as a runner and once as a receiver. Even with the Texans offensive woes, it's becoming clear that they have found a gem in Pierce, and his first multi-touchdown game will reinforce that notion.
2. Derrick Henry will rush for over 200 yards against the Texans defense
On the other side of the ball, the Texans will be tasked with slowing down Derrick Henry, one of the top running backs in the league. Henry hasn't had a very explosive start to the season, but that's largely been due to the Titans offensive struggles. When he gets the ball in his hands, Henry is still one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL.
Henry's last three games against the Texans have been absolutely absurd, as he's ran for over 200 yards in each game, and showed why he's one of the top running backs in the league. There's certain “team killers” throughout sports who have a lot of success against certain teams, but none have had the amount of success that Henry has had against Houston lately.
While the Titans have one of the best run defenses in the league, the Texans have one of the worst, and just got torched by Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. Henry hasn't had a great start to the season, but he will continue his complete and utter dominance over the Texans in this one, torching their run defense for his fourth straight 200 yard rushing performance against them.
1. The Texans will lose to the Titans by a score of 34-20
This game features two of the worst passing offenses in the league, meaning it could be a fairly ugly contest. But with Pierce and Henry leading the way, this will likely be a running back battle. Ultimately, it will be a battle the Texans don't win.
The Titans are a horrible matchup for the Texans, and that will show throughout this game. Henry will pick up a pair of rushing touchdowns along with his 200 yard day, and Robert Woods and Austin Hooper will haul in receiving touchdowns as well. Pierce will score the Texans only two touchdowns of the game, with the receiving one coming midway through the fourth making things look closer than they actually are.
The Titans aren't the greatest team in the league, and the Texans could focus on stuffing the box against Henry, especially if Ryan Tannehill is forced to miss this game. But Houston isn't a good team, and this loss will push them towards selling more than they were expected to as they try to speed up their rebuild.
