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HOUSTON -- Texans coach Bill O'Brien acknowledged a justifiable hesitancy to use dynamic rookie receiver Will Fuller on special teams, but when the Texans needed a jolt and the moment felt just right, O'Brien rolled the dice and came up a winner. Fuller returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, helping the Texans claim their fifth consecutive victory over the Tennessee Titans, 27-20 on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
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Positioned alongside fellow rookie Tyler Ervin on the return, Fuller beat the coverage to the open side of the field before dashing untouched up the home sideline with 56 seconds left in the third. Fuller earlier grabbed a 5-yard scoring pass from quarterback Brock Osweiler and subsequently became the first player in franchise history with a receiving and punt return touchdown in the same game.
"One of the things you have to take into account is when those guys are back there they do take some shots," O'Brien said. "You have to be aware that this is one of your better offensive players and how much do you want to do that, but obviously he's a dynamic punt returner and we've seen that since the day he showed up here at OTAs. So we'll have to look at that based on the game plan every week but obviously that was the game-winning play. That gave us a real shot in the arm."
Fuller snapped a 20-all tie and salvaged the Texans (3-1) from an uneven performance. Houston appeared unstoppable early, posting touchdowns on its first two possessions and totaling 178 yards in the first quarter while taking a 14-0 lead.
The Texans led 17-3 when the Titans (1-3) fashioned their comeback, parlaying a 60-yard pass from Marcus Mariota to Rishard Matthews into the first of two DeMarco Murray scoring runs. The second Murray touchdown, a 1-yard plunge at the 2:28 mark, followed the first of two Osweiler interceptions, and the Texans needed a late Nick Novak field goal to reclaim a 20-17 lead at the intermission.
Tennessee pulled even again when Ryan Succop converted a 26-yard field goal with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter but the Texans' defense, playing without end J.J. Watt for the first time, held strong. Fuller played his part by supplying the Texans the lead just prior to the final period, leaving the defense to finish the job.
"We were practicing that all week, two returners," said Fuller, who added seven receptions for 81 yards and a score. "So I'm happy they kicked it my way this time."
Murray rushed for 95 yards on 25 carries while Mariota finished with 202 passing yards. Murray entered the weekend averaging six yards per attempt, so despite their struggles keeping him out of the end zone once the Titans penetrated the red zone, the Texans deserved credit for limiting Murray to just 3.8 yards per rush.
Mariota tossed his fifth interception and completed just 13 of 29 attempts. Even when the Titans found a rhythm, they couldn't sustain it long enough to threaten a Texans pass rush that wasn't as formidable without Watt. Their 11 penalties for 93 yards, two on fourth down that subsequently led to Texans field goals, didn't help.
"We've got to find a way to win these games," Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. "We have to find a way to quit making so many mistakes."
Both Osweiler interceptions were targeted to receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who had just one catch for four yards. Osweiler passed for 254 yards and two scores, including a 14-yarder to tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz in the first. That early burst proved vital.
"It's always those couple of plays," said Titans cornerback Perrish Cox, who picked off Osweiler in the third quarter. "Once we can eliminate those couple of negative plays -- it's just a handful of them -- I think we will be good. We'll put our offense in a better position."
NOTES: Titans WR Kendall Wright recorded his first reception on the season late in the first half, a three-yard grab to open the Titans' penultimate possession of the second quarter. Wright missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury suffered in training camp. ... Texans K Nick Novak tied his career long with his 53-yard field goal in the second quarter. ... With scoring runs of 2 and 1 yard in the second quarter, Titans RB DeMarco Murray recorded two rushing touchdowns in a game for the first time since Week 15 of 2014 while with the Cowboys. ... Texans TE C.J. Fiedorowicz set career highs for receptions (four) and receiving yards (48) before departing with a knee injury on the second quarter. He returned in the second half.
