Texans force OT, make last-second field goal to beat Titans

Field Level Media|published: Sun 17th December, 16:40 2023

Houston Texans place kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (15) kicks a field goal against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. credits: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ka'imi Fairbairn made a 54-yard field goal as time expired in overtime to lift the Houston Texans to a 19-16 win against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon in Nashville, Tenn.

It was the fourth field goal of the game for Fairbairn, who had missed the previous five games with a right quadricep strain.

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud remained in concussion protocol following his injury last week in a 30-6 loss to the New York Jets, and Case Keenum was named the starter over Davis Mills on Saturday. Keenum completed 23 of 36 passes for 229 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Devin Singletary rushed for 121 yards on 26 carries and Noah Brown caught eight passes for 82 yards and a game-tying touchdown with 3:03 left for Houston (8-6).

Tennessee quarterback Will Levis completed 17 of 26 passes for 199 yards for the Titans (5-9), who had won two of three.

Levis injured his lower left leg on the seventh sack of the game by the Texans with 1:49 left in overtime.

The Texans didn't score a touchdown until Keenum hit Brown with a 3-yard touchdown pass with 3:03 remaining. The PAT tied it at 16-16.

Levis faked a handoff to Derrick Henry on Tennessee's opening drive and scampered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown. Nick Folk missed the point-after attempt, however, leaving the score 6-0.

Tennessee stretched the lead to 13-0 with 13:56 left in the second quarter when Keenum and Dare Ogunbowale miscommunicated on a route and Elijah Molden intercepted the pass, returning it 44 yards for a touchdown.

Keenum directed a 13-play drive late in the first half and Fairbairn booted a 23-yard field goal as time expired to cut it to 13-3.

Houston came up with its first big defensive play when Steven Nelson intercepted a deep sideline pass from Levis on the opening drive of the second half.

The Texans followed with a 10-play drive, settling for a 27-yard field goal by Fairbairn that cut the lead to 13-6.

Fairbairn capped a third straight scoring drive for Houston with another field goal, this time from 53 yards, to further trim the lead to 13-9 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

Folk redeemed himself with a 45-yard field goal with 7:28 left that extended the Titans' lead to 16-9.

—Field Level Media

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