HOUSTON — The Tennessee Titans definitely won't be hurting for resolutions for the new year.

The Houston Texans bullied the Titans' offense and sliced methodically through the defense in the Titans' 26-3 loss Sunday at NRG Stadium. It was their third straight loss and seventh in their past nine games heading into the final game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans are 0-5 against AFC South teams and 1-8 in games away from home.

Rookie quarterback Will Levis had to be carted to the locker room after suffering a right foot injury on a sack in the second quarter. Levis fumbled on the play and the Texans returned the loose ball for a touchdown to take an early 17-0 lead. Levis did not return, marking the second time in three weeks that he had to leave a game against the Texans after taking a hard hit on a sack.

Veteran Ryan Tannehill filled in for Levis and couldn't get much going, leading the team on only one scoring drive in nearly three quarters.

Offensive tackles Andre Dillard and Jaelyn Duncan had another tough day, combining to allow four of the Texans' six sacks. Houston registered 23 hits on Titans quarterbacks in two matchups this season.

The Titans finished 1-for-12 on third downs.

The injury that made everything worse

Not that the Titans' offense was moving the ball effectively before Levis' injury, but the sack-fumble that knocked him out really put them behind. Not only did Tannehill have to trot in, but he inherited a 17-0 deficit that turned the offense into a one-dimensional group that had to pass nearly every play.

The Texans knew this, too, and were able to let their pass rush loose. This was particularly notable when the Titans crossed the Houston 40-yard line for the first time all game late in the second quarter, trying to cut the deficit before halftime. Houston rookie Will Anderson blazed off the edge past Dillard for sacks on back-to-back plays, knocking Tannehill and the offense back 17 yards and forcing the Titans to settle for a field goal after a modest gain on third-and-27.

Dillard was benched in favor of Duncan to start the third quarter.

The penalty that actually changed everything

Late in the first quarter, with the Texans leading only 3-0, the Titans forced a three-and-out that left Houston punting from the shadow of its own end zone. They were set to take over right around midfield with a chance to stabilize the game.

That didn't happen. Rookie outside linebacker Caleb Murphy was flagged for running into the punter, giving the Texans' offense a fresh set of downs. Ten plays later, quarterback C.J. Stroud found tight end Brevin Jordan for a touchdown, capping what ended up being a 13-play drive that should have lasted only three and giving the Texans a 10-0 lead.

Not quite enough to make it a game

The Titans' offense showed sparks of life in the second half. Tannehill and company embarked on a 17-play, 72-yard drive on their first possession of the third quarter, getting as far as the Texans' 3-yard line. But despite trying seven snaps inside the Houston 10-yard line, the football couldn't find the end zone and the Texans forced a turnover on downs.

The drive took 8:37 off the game clock with nothing to show for it, helping the Texans ice the game a lot more than it actually helped the Titans come back.

What's next?

The Titans end their season next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium. The kickoff time and the TV network for the game, along with whether the game is played on Saturday or Sunday, will be announced at a later date.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Will Levis injury, more line struggles doom Tennessee Titans vs Texans