Young leads improving Titans to win over Texans
Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young (10) avoids Houston Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson as he scrambles for a gain in the second half of their NFL football game in Houston November 23, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Richard Carson
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Vince Young guided Tennessee to a 20-17 victory over the Houston Texans on Monday, as the Titans improved to 4-0 since he took over as starting quarterback.
Titans (4-6) kicker Rob Bironas made a 53-yard field goal with less than a minute left, before his Texans (5-5) counterpart Kris Brown missed a 49-yarder in the last second that would have tied the game.
It was yet more agony for the Texans and Brown, who missed a last-second kick against Indianapolis on November 8 that consigned them to an identical 20-17 defeat.
The Titans started the year a woeful 0-6 but have been revitalized with the switch to Young at quarterback.
"This means a lot. The fans were giving me a hard time but I know they love me -- it was a big win for the whole team," Houston-native Young told reporters.
"Bironas made a big kick, and the offensive line did a great job of giving me time."
With the score tied 14-14 at halftime, Young led Tennessee on drives that resulted in two key field goals. He finished with 116 yards passing, 73 yards rushing and had a first-half touchdown pass to Kenny Britt.
Chris Johnson, the NFL's leading rusher, ran for 151 yards.
Houston quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 305 yards and had touchdown passes to Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson in the first half.
The Texans led 14-7 with 4:01 left in the first half before Tennessee scored on a one-yard touchdown run from LenDale White to tie the game.
Young was poised throughout and has made huge strides since taking the starting job back from Kerry Collins. Young lost the starting role early last season.
"He's a year further in the system," said Titans coach Jeff Fisher. "He has had a chance to sit back and watch Kerry. The pass completions and those things aside, what he was able to do at the line of scrimmage with the play clock and the crowd noise -- he did a very good job today."
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
