Four rapid observations from the Tennessee Titans’ 26-3 loss to the Houston Texans on New Year’s Eve in the Lone Star State:

The Titans were no match for Texans

It’s embarrassing how much better the Texans were than the Titans on Sunday.

Wasn’t just that the Titans lost. It was that the hopeless manner in which they were dominated — similar to a defeat earlier this season in Jacksonville — suggested the gap between the Titans and their divisional rivals has suddenly grown vast.

The Titans didn’t quit in Houston, but it was obvious which team had a lot more to play for in the game. And also, which team was better assembled, with better players who were better coached.

The Titans’ offensive line still can’t block well enough to keep a quarterback healthy and in possession of the football. Rookie Will Levis returned from injury Sunday and then didn’t make it until halftime, being knocked out on a sack/fumble that created a second Texans touchdown in 8 seconds of game action. After that, the game was all but over, and Ryan Tannehill's health was then in peril, too.

The Titans’ defense was on its heels early and often. Special teams got a killer of a first-half penalty with Caleb Murphy running into the punter to extend a 94-yard touchdown drive for the Texans.

Outside of DeAndre Hopkins, there weren’t many bright spots for the Titans to feel good about.

But it has been that way all season, hasn't it?

The Titans are 0-for-5 this season against divisional foes, and you’d have to suspect a sixth AFC South loss awaits next weekend in the regular-season finale against the Jaguars.

Same as always, it’s the offensive line

In two games against the Texans this season, the Titans allowed 13 sacks.

That's simply unacceptable.

It's unacceptable that the O-line got Levis knocked out of both games, and it wasn't just poor pass protection. The Titans were 1-for-12 on third down and also couldn't consistently run it against the Texans — again — despite using more than five offensive linemen for much of the game.

If you want to make yourself angry as a Titans fan, go to Spotrac and peruse the team’s most expensive current player contracts by total dollar amount.

Sixth on the team — SIXTH! — is left tackle Andre Dillard.

Nearly $10 million a year is far too much to be giving a player who can't stay on the field. He already had been benched this season, and the Texans’ Will Anderson reminded everyone why by whipping Dillard twice in the first half. Rookie Jaelyn Duncan replaced him in the third quarter.

Dillard's signing this past offseason has proved to be a horrible decision by coach Mike Vrabel and/or general manager Ran Carthon. It was a miss that can't be pinned on previous GM Jon Robinson.

This was interesting

The Titans’ social media team often posts pregame videos of players hyping up circled teammates on the field. For a long time, safety Kevin Byard gave those talks, with defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons joining him.

But now, Byard has been traded and Simmons is injured.

So on Sunday, the player at the center of the huddle was Levis — a rookie. Says something about the lack of healthy leaders on the team right now. But it also says something about Levis and the respect he has already earned in the Titans’ locker room.

That one that got away early

Sunday’s mismatch probably wouldn’t have played out much differently had Treylon Burks been able to catch a deep ball on the game’s second play, but we’ll never know.

And Burks should have caught it.

It was a good play call by coordinator Tim Kelly, and Levis put the pass in a great spot. Burks got both hands on the football, but couldn’t bring it in. A No. 1 receiver in the NFL makes that play. Burks has the talent to be a No. 1 NFL receiver, but he’s not.

After two injury-plagued seasons, it’s getting fair to wonder if he’ll ever get there.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: No hope for crumbling Tennessee Titans in humbling loss to Texans