Game story
In Week 2 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-09-16, the Tennessee Titans took care of business against the Houston Texans, pulling away with a 20–17 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Watson (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with +9.65 total EPA, and +11.6% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, W. Fuller (Houston Texans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +11.36 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+20.1% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Houston Texans changed the game: (13:32) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep left to 15-W.Fuller for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Tennessee Titans | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 W. Fuller · Houston Texans · Receiving · +11.36 total EPA · 9 snaps · +1.26 EPA/play
- 2 D. Watson · Houston Texans · Passing · +9.65 total EPA · 43 snaps · +0.22 EPA/play
- 3 K. Byard · Tennessee Titans · Passing · +7.65 total EPA · 1 snaps · +7.65 EPA/play
- 4 D. Cruikshank · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +7.65 total EPA · 1 snaps · +7.65 EPA/play
- 5 C. Davis · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +3.14 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.45 EPA/play
- 6 B. Ellington · Houston Texans · Receiving · +2.30 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.77 EPA/play
- 7 B. Gabbert · Tennessee Titans · Rushing · +2.00 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.00 EPA/play
- 8 R. Griffin · Houston Texans · Receiving · +1.84 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.84 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
W. Fuller — HOU · Receiving
W. Fuller posted the highest total EPA (+11.36) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Houston Texans's efficiency. Across 9 counted snaps, they averaged +1.26 EPA per play.
The signature play (+7.65 EPA) came from Tennessee Titans: (10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tennessee Titans — D. Cruikshank (K. Byard pass)
- Tennessee Titans — T. Taylor (B. Gabbert pass)
- Houston Texans — D. Hopkins (D. Watson pass)
- Houston Texans — W. Fuller (D. Watson pass)
Field goals
- Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn
- Tennessee Titans — R. Succop
- Tennessee Titans — R. Succop
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Tennessee Titans won the period 14–0. Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 66 (Q1 55:00) — (10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q1 54:51) — 4-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 18 (Q1 45:43) — (:43) (Shotgun) 7-B.Gabbert pass short left to 13-T.Taylor for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q1 45:35) — 4-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern..
The second quarter: Houston Texans won the period 7–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the TEN 28 (Q2 31:08) — (1:08) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep middle to 10-D.Hopkins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q2 30:58) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel..
The third quarter: Houston Texans won the period 3–0. Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the TEN 16 (Q3 17:44) — (2:44) (Field Goal formation) 7-K.Fairbairn 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel..
The fourth quarter: Houston Texans won the period 7–6. Houston Texans found the end zone from the TEN 39 (Q4 13:32) — (13:32) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep left to 15-W.Fuller for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q4 13:25) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel.; Tennessee Titans connected on a field goal from the HOU 24 (Q4 9:48) — (9:48) (Field Goal formation) 4-R.Succop 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Tennessee Titans connected on a field goal from the HOU 13 (Q4 1:05) — (1:05) (Field Goal formation) 4-R.Succop 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Houston Texans (Q4 13:32) — (13:32) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep left to 15-W.Fuller for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q4 0:17) — (:17) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep middle to 10-D.Hopkins to TEN 21 for 31 yards (21-M.Butler).
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 55:00) — (10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 2:29) — (2:29) 7-B.Gabbert pass short right to 84-C.Davis to HOU 22 for 18 yards (99-J.Watt). FUMBLES (99-J.Watt), ball out of bounds at HOU 18.
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 11:38) — (11:38) (Shotgun) 7-B.Gabbert pass short middle to 19-T.Sharpe to HOU 28 for 14 yards (24-J.Joseph).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 55:00) — (10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q4 13:32) — (13:32) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep left to 15-W.Fuller for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q2 31:08) — (1:08) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep middle to 10-D.Hopkins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Houston Texans (Q2 42:22) — (12:22) (No Huddle) 4-D.Watson pass deep middle intended for 10-D.Hopkins INTERCEPTED by 25-A.Jackson at TEN -9. Touchback.
Quarterback report card
D.Watson led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Watson (Houston Texans) · 43 dropbacks · 51.2% completion · +11.6% CPOE · +0.22 EPA/play · +9.65 total EPA
- B.Gabbert (Tennessee Titans) · 22 dropbacks · 59.1% completion · -4.6% CPOE · -0.05 EPA/play · -1.03 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Houston Texans | Tennessee Titans |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.022 | +0.051 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.1% | 40.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.224 | +0.294 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.122 | -0.157 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.051 | -0.022 |
| Defensive success rate | 60.0% | 61.9% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Houston Texans +0.02, Tennessee Titans +0.05) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Houston Texans: 10 drives, +1.84 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Tennessee Titans: 10 drives, +3.81 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tennessee Titans leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- W. Fuller (Houston Texans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Watson (HOU) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- B. Gabbert (TEN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q1 55:00 · HOU 66 · Score 0-6
(10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q1 54:51 · HOU 15 · Score 0-7
4-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q1 45:43 · HOU 18 · Score 0-13
(:43) (Shotgun) 7-B.Gabbert pass short left to 13-T.Taylor for 18 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q1 45:35 · HOU 15 · Score 0-14
4-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 31:08 · TEN 28 · Score 6-14
(1:08) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep middle to 10-D.Hopkins for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 30:58 · TEN 15 · Score 7-14
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q3 17:44 · TEN 16 · Score 10-14
(2:44) (Field Goal formation) 7-K.Fairbairn 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 13:32 · TEN 39 · Score 16-14
(13:32) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass deep left to 15-W.Fuller for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 13:25 · TEN 15 · Score 17-14
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-8-T.Daniel. - Tennessee Titans FG (+3) — Q4 9:48 · HOU 24 · Score 17-17
(9:48) (Field Goal formation) 4-R.Succop 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans FG (+3) — Q4 1:05 · HOU 13 · Score 17-20
(1:05) (Field Goal formation) 4-R.Succop 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Brinkley, Holder-6-B.Kern.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
The Tennessee Titans beat the Houston Texans 20-17 in Week 2, 2018 on 2018-09-16.
What was the final score of Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
The final score was Houston Texans 17, Tennessee Titans 20 (HOU 17-20 TEN) in Week 2, 2018 on 2018-09-16.
What was the score by quarter in Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
Q1: Houston Texans 0, Tennessee Titans 14; Q2: Houston Texans 7, Tennessee Titans 0; Q3: Houston Texans 3, Tennessee Titans 0; Q4: Houston Texans 7, Tennessee Titans 6; Final: Houston Texans 17, Tennessee Titans 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
Tennessee Titans touchdown — D. Cruikshank (K. Byard pass) (Q1 55:00) Tennessee Titans touchdown — T. Taylor (B. Gabbert pass) (Q1 45:43) Houston Texans touchdown — D. Hopkins (D. Watson pass) (Q2 31:08) Houston Texans touchdown — W. Fuller (D. Watson pass) (Q4 13:32) Houston Texans field goal — K. Fairbairn (Q3 17:44, 3 pts) Tennessee Titans field goal — R. Succop (Q4 9:48, 3 pts) Tennessee Titans field goal — R. Succop (Q4 1:05, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
D. Watson (Houston Texans), 51.2% completion, +11.6% CPOE, +0.22 EPA per dropback, +9.65 total passing EPA. B. Gabbert (Tennessee Titans), 59.1% completion, -4.6% CPOE, -0.05 EPA per dropback, -1.03 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans?
W. Fuller (Houston Texans) led the game in total EPA with +11.36 on receiving plays. across 9 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+7.65 EPA): (10:00) (Punt formation) 31-K.Byard pass deep right to 29-D.Cruikshank for 66 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +20.1%.
Was Houston Texans vs Tennessee Titans a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Tennessee Titans won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Houston Texans
Entered 0-1 Now 0-2 L
Tennessee Titans
Entered 0-1 Now 1-1 W
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