HOUSTON (Interstat) — The Houston Texans’ defense delivered a dominant shutout performance and quarterback C.J. Stroud accounted for two touchdowns as they defeated the Tennessee Titans 26-0 in an NFL game on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at NRG Stadium.

A crowd of 70,398 watched the Texans (1-3) secure their first victory of the season while handing the Titans (0-4) their fourth consecutive loss. The game was a defensive struggle for three quarters before Houston erupted for 20 points in the fourth.

The Texans’ defense was relentless, sacking Titans quarterback Cam Ward three times and intercepting him once. Linebacker Danielle Hunter led the charge with two sacks, while cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. secured the game’s only turnover with a pivotal fourth-quarter interception. The unit held Tennessee to just 108 passing yards and prevented the Titans from advancing past the Houston 29-yard line.

Offensively, the Texans were methodical. Stroud, the quarterback from the Inland Empire of California, was efficient, completing 22 of 28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 11 yards on four carries. His favorite target was Nico Collins, who caught four passes for 79 yards.

The scoring was limited to field goals until the final period. Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn connected from 47 and 43 yards in the first half but missed a 54-yard attempt in the third quarter, leaving the score 6-0.

The game broke open early in the fourth quarter. Stroud found running back Woody Marks on a 12-yard touchdown pass to cap a 95-yard drive. The two-point conversion attempt failed, making the score 12-0.

On the ensuing Titans possession, Stingley Jr. intercepted a deep pass from Ward intended for Elic Ayomanor, returning it 20 yards to the Tennessee 44. A few plays later, Stroud connected with rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins on a 24-yard touchdown strike. Fairbairn’s extra point extended the lead to 19-0.

Houston sealed the victory later in the quarter when Marks, who finished with 69 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, broke through for an 18-yard touchdown run.

For Tennessee, Ward struggled throughout, completing only 10 of 26 passes. Running back Tony Pollard provided a brief spark with 64 rushing yards, but the Titans’ offense could not sustain drives. Kicker Joey Slye missed two field goal attempts, from 41 and 43 yards, in the first half.

The shutout loss extends a difficult start for the Titans, who were a 6.5-point pregame favorite according to sportsbooks. The combined score of 26 points fell well under the over/under line of 38.5. The result was also a surprise to predictive models, as Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 31-24 Houston victory, while its ELO system gave the Texans a 92.4% probability to win.

Houston travels to face the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday. Tennessee will look for its first win on the road against the Arizona Cardinals.