Titans-Texans inactives, gameday thoughts

The inactives are out for today’s game at the NRG Stadium in Houston between the Texans and the Tennessee Titans, and here they are:

HOUSTON TEXANS: OT Jeff Adams, DB Josh Aubrey, OLB Jadeveon Clowney, ILB Akeem Dent, CB Kareem Jackson, QB Thad Lewis, WR DeVier Posey

TENNESSEE TITANS: RB Antonio Andrews, WR Kris Durham, DB Marqueston Huff, DL DaQuan Jones, OT Taylor Lewan, OLB Kamerion Wimbley, QB Charlie Whitehurst

For the Titans, Michael Oher is up after being listed as questionable while Lewan is down. The official starting lineup still has Byron Stingily at right tackle, however, while Will Svitek makes his Tennessee debut as the starter at left tackle. As expected, Chris Spencer gets the start at center for the IR’d Brian Schwenke, and no, I do not expect that to be a downgrade. Huff’s hamstring injury also has him down after a questionable listing. Kamerion Wimbley was Out. With Shaun Phillips’ release (his playing time last week was in fact a function of Wimbley’s in-game hamstring injury), new additions Kaelin Burnett and Dontay Moch are both active. Burnett didn’t stand out to me in any way shape or form in my extensive Raiders watching last year, while Moch is a player whose impressive measurables coming out have never been enough to earn him significant playing time. ICYMI, the Titans are 2-9 and not very good, so it’s worth trying long shots to see if anything works.

For the Texans, Clowney’s absence makes life easier for Svitek and/or Stingily, while Jackson’s absence makes life easier for the receivers. Then again, does it matter? As I noted in my update for Steph Stradley, the Titans have a first down on just over half their possessions in the Zach Mettenberger, Starting Quarterback era. While that sort of complete inability to sustain any sort of offense whatsoever may be familiar to Ken Whisenhunt from his 2012 Cardinals team (other teams in the same boat: Jimmy Clausen Panthers, JaMarcus Russell Raiders, disaster mid-2000s 49ers, rookie Bruce Gradkowski Bucs), it makes it frustrating as heck to write about because unlike those other teams, the Titans are actually putting up points. It took Jake Locker 14 games for the Titans offense to score more than 20 points in regulation twice, and Mettenberger’s done it in four games.

Steph’s post covered the two approaches to offense epitomized by the two starting quarterbacks in this game. With Ryan Mallett going to injured reserve, the Titans get to face Ryan Fitzpatrick again. We know who he is. He can sometimes sustain offense, which helps you win some games, but can’t throw downfield or improvise effectively throwing, which helps you lose some games. I’m expecting to see a lot of Arian Foster again, and for him to rip off a couple big runs even if he’s not having consistent success. Will Wheel of Mettenberger strike often enough to overcome that? It’s certainly possible, but I’m not expecting it to.

I’ll be chiming in during the game on Twitter, so follow and yap at me there if you so desire. Recap up after the game, snap report Monday, more content during the week if I find something worth writing about. Tearing my hair out in frustration over inconsistency may be fun, or at least better than the alternative, but it does not make for interesting content.