Keenum comes through for Texans against Titans with Stroud out to keep playoff hopes alive

Updated Dec. 18, 2023 6:25 p.m. ET

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s win over Tennessee on Sunday was a throwback, as a quarterback from the Texans' past led them to the thrilling overtime victory with C.J. Stroud out with a concussion.

Case Keenum hadn’t started a game since the 2021 season and hadn’t played at all this year before throwing for 229 yards and a touchdown in the 19-16 win that kept Houston's playoff hopes alive.

It’s unclear if Stroud will be cleared to return this weekend. Coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that the star rookie remains in the concussion protocol, and they’ll see how he progresses throughout the week.

With Stroud out against Tennessee, the 35-year-old Keenum won his third straight start for the Texans (8-6) after leading them to victories in the final two games of the 2014 season. Keenum went undrafted despite a record-setting career at the University of Houston and signed as a free agent with the Texans in 2012. He spent his entire rookie season on the team’s practice squad before appearing in 14 games, including 10 starts, in 2013 and 2014.

He returned to Houston this year after stints with six other teams and was listed on the depth chart as the third-string quarterback. But the Texans chose to go with him over Davis Mills in Stroud's absence, with Ryans saying they felt Keenum gave them the best chance to win.

“It shows Case is just a true professional even though he hasn’t played in a while, he’s ready for the moment,” Ryans said. “He let our guys know he was ready for the moment, and he showed up and made big time plays for us.”

Keenum shook off a tough start in which he had an interception returned for a touchdown that helped put Houston in a 13-0 hole early. He threw a touchdown pass to Noah Brown to tie it with about three minutes left before Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 54-yard field goal as overtime expired lifted the Texans to the win.

“Everybody on this team looks at adversity as opportunity, ready to overcome, ready to go on to the next play, and you need that in this type of league,” Keenum said. “If you’re going to go and be a playoff contender, get to the dance, succeed in the dance, you got to be gritty. You have to be willing to stand up when you get punched in the face and get knocked down, get back up and go do it.”

Houston and Indianapolis both won and the Jaguars lost to the Ravens to leave the three teams tied for first place in the AFC South and help the Texans remain in contention for one of the AFC’s seven playoff spots.

WHAT’S WORKING

Houston’s run defense and running game powered the team Sunday. Devin Singletary had a career-high 170 yards of offense against the Titans. He ran for 121 yards for his sixth career 100-yard rushing game.

The fifth-year pro set up the game-winning field goal when he took a short pass and turned it into a 41-yard gain.

On defense, the Texans limited the Titans to just 66 yards rushing. They shut down Derrick Henry after the three-time Pro Bowler had dominated them for years.

Henry piled up 1,018 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns in his last five games against Houston but managed just nine yards on 16 carries Sunday.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The Texans struggled in the red zone and on third downs. They converted just 4 of 15 (26.7%) third-down chances and was 1 of 3 in the red zone.

If the Texans hope to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019, they’ll have to stop settling for field goals and score touchdowns when they get in the red zone.

STOCK UP

Fairbairn was great in his return after missing five games with a quadriceps injury. Before kicking the game winner, he made field goals of 23, 27 and 53 yards to keep the Texans in it when they were unable to get in the end zone.

STOCK DOWN

RB Dameon Pierce, who starred as a rookie last season, has seen his playing time dwindle as Singletary has thrived. Pierce, a fourth-round pick last year, had 939 yards rushing as a rookie but lost the starting job after missing three games with an injury in early November. He’s had just 68 yards rushing combined in limited action in the four games since his return and had a career-low three yards rushing on one carry Sunday.

INJURIES

S Jimmie Ward is in the concussion protocol after being injured Sunday. Top receiver Nico Collins missed the game with a calf injury. OT George Fant sat out with a hip injury. Rookie DE Will Anderson, the third overall pick in the draft, was out with an ankle injury and LB Blake Cashman missed the game because of a hamstring injury.

KEY NUMBER

7 — The Texans had seven sacks, tied for second most in a game in franchise history.

NEXT STEPS

The Texans host the Browns (9-5) on Sunday, when they hope to get Stroud back as they try to halt Cleveland’s two-game winning streak and improve their playoff chances.

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