Game story
In Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season on 2022-01-09, the Tennessee Titans took care of business against the Houston Texans, pulling away with a 28–25 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 22 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Mills (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with +9.27 total EPA, and +6.8% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, R. Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +22.44 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+13.0% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Houston Texans changed the game: (4:08) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 89-D.Amendola for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | 21 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Houston Texans | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 R. Tannehill · Tennessee Titans · Passing · +22.44 total EPA · 35 snaps · +0.64 EPA/play
- 2 D. Amendola · Houston Texans · Receiving · +9.43 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.94 EPA/play
- 3 D. Mills · Houston Texans · Passing · +9.27 total EPA · 39 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 4 N. Westbrook-Ikhine · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +8.48 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.70 EPA/play
- 5 A. Firkser · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +7.25 total EPA · 4 snaps · +1.81 EPA/play
- 6 A. Brown · Tennessee Titans · Receiving · +4.93 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.82 EPA/play
- 7 C. Moore · Houston Texans · Receiving · +2.54 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play
- 8 R. Burkhead · Houston Texans · Receiving · +2.03 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.51 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
R. Tannehill — TEN · Passing
R. Tannehill posted the highest total EPA (+22.44) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tennessee Titans's efficiency. Across 35 counted snaps, they averaged +0.64 EPA per play.
The signature play (-4.25 EPA) came from Tennessee Titans: (1:26) 14-R.Bullock 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tennessee Titans — A. Firkser (R. Tannehill pass)
- Tennessee Titans — A. Brown (R. Tannehill pass)
- Tennessee Titans — N. Westbrook-Ikhine (R. Tannehill pass)
- Houston Texans — C. Moore (D. Mills pass)
- Houston Texans — D. Amendola (D. Mills pass)
- Tennessee Titans — J. Jones (R. Tannehill pass)
- Houston Texans — D. Amendola (D. Mills pass)
Field goals
- Houston Texans — K. Fairbairn
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Tennessee Titans won the period 21–0. Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 5 (Q2 37:45) — (7:45) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short left to 86-A.Firkser for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 37:40) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 14 (Q2 31:40) — (1:40) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short left to 11-A.Brown for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 31:34) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 4 (Q2 30:15) — (:15) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short right to 15-N.Westbrook-Ikhine for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q2 30:11) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern..
The third quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the TEN 28 (Q3 24:54) — (9:54) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 15-C.Moore for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Flea Flicker; Houston Texans added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q3 24:46) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the TEN 13 (Q3 17:17) — (2:17) 7-K.Fairbairn 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston..
The fourth quarter: Houston Texans won the period 15–7. Houston Texans found the end zone from the TEN 7 (Q4 11:48) — (11:48) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass short middle to 89-D.Amendola for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans registered a safety from the TEN 2 (Q4 11:40) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 10-D.Mills pass to 89-D.Amendola is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.; Tennessee Titans found the end zone from the HOU 3 (Q4 7:04) — (7:04) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short middle to 2-J.Jones for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN [97-M.Collins].; Tennessee Titans added 1 points from the HOU 15 (Q4 7:00) — 14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.; Houston Texans found the end zone from the TEN 26 (Q4 4:08) — (4:08) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 89-D.Amendola for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Houston Texans added 1 points from the TEN 15 (Q4 4:04) — 7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Houston Texans (Q4 4:08) — (4:08) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 89-D.Amendola for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 10:20) — (10:20) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep right to 15-N.Westbrook-Ikhine pushed ob at HOU 34 for 36 yards (23-E.Murray).
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 46:26) — (1:26) 14-R.Bullock 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 48:16) — (3:16) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short right to 2-J.Jones pushed ob at HOU 29 for 13 yards (37-T.Thomas, 25-D.King).
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 49:45) — (4:45) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep middle to 15-N.Westbrook-Ikhine to HOU 46 for 29 yards (23-E.Murray).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Tennessee Titans (Q1 46:26) — (1:26) 14-R.Bullock 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.
- Tennessee Titans (Q2 30:22) — (:22) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep middle intended for 81-R.McMath INTERCEPTED by 1-L.Johnson at HOU 0. Touchback. PENALTY on HOU-23-E.Murray, Defensive Pass Interference, 45 yards, enforced at
- Tennessee Titans (Q4 10:20) — (10:20) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass deep right to 15-N.Westbrook-Ikhine pushed ob at HOU 34 for 36 yards (23-E.Murray).
- Houston Texans (Q2 36:31) — (6:31) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass deep middle to 13-B.Cooks to HOU 45 for 25 yards (51-D.Long).
Quarterback report card
D.Mills led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Mills (Houston Texans) · 39 dropbacks · 59.0% completion · +6.8% CPOE · +0.24 EPA/play · +9.27 total EPA
- R.Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) · 35 dropbacks · 65.7% completion · +7.9% CPOE · +0.64 EPA/play · +22.44 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tennessee Titans | Houston Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.136 | +0.108 |
| Offensive success rate | 42.9% | 42.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.641 | +0.238 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.131 | +0.053 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.108 | -0.136 |
| Defensive success rate | 57.5% | 57.1% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Tennessee Titans +0.14, Houston Texans +0.11) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Houston Texans: 10 drives, +7.87 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- Tennessee Titans: 10 drives, +11.45 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.
- R. Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Mills (HOU) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- R. Tannehill (TEN) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q2 37:45 · HOU 5 · Score 6-0
(7:45) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short left to 86-A.Firkser for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q2 37:40 · HOU 15 · Score 7-0
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q2 31:40 · HOU 14 · Score 13-0
(1:40) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short left to 11-A.Brown for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q2 31:34 · HOU 15 · Score 14-0
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q2 30:15 · HOU 4 · Score 20-0
(:15) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short right to 15-N.Westbrook-Ikhine for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q2 30:11 · HOU 15 · Score 21-0
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q3 24:54 · TEN 28 · Score 21-6
(9:54) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 15-C.Moore for 28 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Flea Flicker - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q3 24:46 · TEN 15 · Score 21-7
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston. - Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q3 17:17 · TEN 13 · Score 21-10
(2:17) 7-K.Fairbairn 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 11:48 · TEN 7 · Score 21-16
(11:48) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass short middle to 89-D.Amendola for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans Safety (+2) — Q4 11:40 · TEN 2 · Score 21-18
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 10-D.Mills pass to 89-D.Amendola is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. - Tennessee Titans TD (+6) — Q4 7:04 · HOU 3 · Score 27-18
(7:04) (Shotgun) 17-R.Tannehill pass short middle to 2-J.Jones for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN [97-M.Collins]. - Tennessee Titans XP (+1) — Q4 7:00 · HOU 15 · Score 28-18
14-R.Bullock extra point is GOOD, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern. - Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q4 4:08 · TEN 26 · Score 28-24
(4:08) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass deep right to 89-D.Amendola for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q4 4:04 · TEN 15 · Score 28-25
7-K.Fairbairn extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Weeks, Holder-11-C.Johnston.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
The Tennessee Titans beat the Houston Texans 28-25 in Week 18, 2021 on 2022-01-09.
What was the final score of Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
The final score was Tennessee Titans 28, Houston Texans 25 (TEN 28-25 HOU) in Week 18, 2021 on 2022-01-09.
What was the score by quarter in Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
Q2: Tennessee Titans 21, Houston Texans 0; Q3: Tennessee Titans 0, Houston Texans 10; Q4: Tennessee Titans 7, Houston Texans 15; Final: Tennessee Titans 28, Houston Texans 25.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
Tennessee Titans touchdown — A. Firkser (R. Tannehill pass) (Q2 37:45) Tennessee Titans touchdown — A. Brown (R. Tannehill pass) (Q2 31:40) Tennessee Titans touchdown — N. Westbrook-Ikhine (R. Tannehill pass) (Q2 30:15) Houston Texans touchdown — C. Moore (D. Mills pass) (Q3 24:54) Houston Texans touchdown — D. Amendola (D. Mills pass) (Q4 11:48) Tennessee Titans touchdown — J. Jones (R. Tannehill pass) (Q4 7:04) Houston Texans touchdown — D. Amendola (D. Mills pass) (Q4 4:08) Houston Texans field goal — K. Fairbairn (Q3 17:17, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
D. Mills (Houston Texans), 59.0% completion, +6.8% CPOE, +0.24 EPA per dropback, +9.27 total passing EPA. R. Tannehill (Tennessee Titans), 65.7% completion, +7.9% CPOE, +0.64 EPA per dropback, +22.44 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans?
R. Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) led the game in total EPA with +22.44 on passing plays. across 35 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-4.25 EPA): (1:26) 14-R.Bullock 42 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-46-M.Cox, Holder-6-B.Kern.. The biggest win-probability swing was +13.0%.
Was Tennessee Titans vs Houston Texans a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Tennessee Titans won 28-25 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Tennessee Titans
Entered 11-5 Now 12-5 W
Houston Texans
Entered 4-12 Now 4-13 L
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