TITANS 20, TEXANS 17
HOUSTON - Vince Young remained undefeated as a starter for the Tennessee Titans this season thanks to Rob Bironas and his knack for making big kicks against the Houston Texans.
Bironas kicked a 53-yard field goal with less than a minute left, and the Titans beat the Texans 20-17 Monday night for their fourth straight victory after starting the season with six straight losses.
It was against the Texans two years ago that Bironas set an NFL record with eight field goals, including the game-winner as time expired in a 38-36 win. He also made a 50-yarder Monday.
"I always feel good down here … I like Houston," he said. "I don't think Houston likes me too much."
The Texans (5-5) had a chance to tie it, but Kris Brown's 49-yard attempt with one second remaining was wide left. It was his second miss of the game and the second straight game he has missed a chance to send the Texans to overtime.
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"The frustrating part for me is, we have 44 guys out there, busting their tails, and one guy out there not doing his job, which is me," Brown said. "That's the reason we lose the game. That's hard. I've got to figure out what the heck's going on, and I need to figure it out pretty quick."
Young is 2-0 as a starter in his hometown of Houston after running for the winning touchdown in overtime in his last start here, as a rookie in 2006. He said he believes the team is simply having more fun since he took over and that nothing drastic has changed with him at the helm.
"It's not about me, it's not about Vince Young," said Young, who is 4-0 this season after taking over for Kerry Collins.
The Titans started the go-ahead drive at the 6-yard line, but the Texans were called for a 15-yard horse-collar penalty on a tackle on Chris Johnson. A 22-yard run by Johnson two plays later put the Titans on their 41 just before the two-minute warning.
Young had a 12-yard run for a first down later in the drive, but the Titans couldn't keep it going and went to Bironas for the field goal.
The Texans moved the ball 31 yards in five plays before Brown came in for the field goal attempt. He missed from the same distance in the third quarter and missed one from 42 yards as time expired in a 20-17 loss to Indianapolis before Houston's bye.
"We didn't finish right there and stay on the field," coach Gary Kubiak said. "I know they're very disappointed. We're all disappointed. We worked very hard and expected a different outcome but didn't get it."
Bironas had missed earlier, too, on a 49-yarder with about 10 minutes left.
"I was just hoping for a second chance to come out there and hit one more," he said.
Johnson finished with 151 yards rushing, and Young had a touchdown pass in the first half. Bironas kicked a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter.
"I think you get a sense this game could have gone in either direction," Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said. "I can't say how much it means to us to come back in here and get back on track again and fortunately get a win."
Extra points
• Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt says he had a long talk with Kurt Warner on the flight home, and the quarterback was "very upbeat and alert" following a blow to the head in Sunday's victory over St. Louis.
Still, Warner's availability to practice this week or play Sunday at Tennessee will depend on how he does in the mandatory "baseline test" of his cognitive functions, probably today.
• The Packers said Monday cornerback Al Harris and linebacker Aaron Kampman will both have season-ending knee surgery.
