Houston Texans – Blog

First-quarter notes: Texans 14, Titans 3

NASHVILLE — Courtesy of the Texans’ public relations staff, notes from the first quarter at LP Field, where the Texans lead the Tennessee Titans 14-3:

THE TEXANS

·         Scored on their opening possession for the fifth time this season and scored a touchdown on their first possession for the fourth time on the year.

·         Scored first for the seventh time this season.

·         Led after the first quarter for the seventh time this season.

FB JAMES CASEY

·         Caught his third touchdown pass of the season on a 5-yard throw from QB Matt Schaub in the first quarter. It was Casey’s fourth career touchdown catch.

TE OWEN DANIELS

·         Extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 79 with a 14-yard catch on the first play of the game.

·         Started his 87th game, which ties him with WR Kevin Walter and moves them each past former Texans RT Eric Winston for third on the team’s all-time games started list.

WR LESTAR JEAN

·         Caught his first career touchdown pass when he took a quick throw and turned it up the sideline 54 yards to the end zone in the first quarter. The 54-yard catch was the longest of his career, bettering his previous long of 46 yards

WR ANDRE JOHNSON

·         Extended his franchise-record streak of consecutive games with a reception to 94 with a 15-yard catch in the first quarter.

·         Moved into the top 30 on the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list with his first catch of the game, a gain of 15 yards in the first quarter. He entered the game needing three yards to pass Stanley Morgan (10,716).

WR KESHAWN MARTIN

·         Returned a first-quarter punt 42 yards. It was his second return of more than 40 yards this season. He had a 71-yard return in Week 11 vs. Jacksonville (11/18).

OLB WHITNEY MERCILUS

·         Made his first career start at WLB.

QB MATT SCHAUB

·         Threw his 20th touchdown pass of the season when he hit WR Lestar Jean for a 54-yard catch and run on Houston’s first possession. It marked the third season in his career in which Schaub has thrown 20 or more touchdowns.

·         Threw his second touchdown pass of the game when he hit FB James Casey on a 5-yard scoring toss in the first quarter, giving Schaub his sixth multi-touchdown performance of the season.

WR KEVIN WALTER

·         Started his 87th game, which ties him with TE Owen Daniels and moves them each past former Texans RT Eric Winston for third on the team’s all-time games started list.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

·         Inactive players for the Texans were CB Alan Ball, G Antoine Caldwell, ILB Bradie James, CB Johnathan Joseph, RT Derek Newton, OLB Brooks Reed and G Cody White.

·         Captains for the Texans were ILB Tim Dobbins, WR Andre Johnson, FS Shiloh Keo, C Chris Myers, QB Matt Schaub, DE Antonio Smith and DE J.J. Watt. Schaub and Johnson went to midfield for the pregame coin toss.

·         The Texans won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.