Titans vs. Texans 2015 picks and predictions: Houston slight favorite in AFC South matchup

It's hard to believe that a matchup of two teams with a combined three wins entering November could have a significant impact on the AFC playoff picture. But that's the case for Sunday's Titans-Texans game, where both clubs are still in the thick of the division race despite entering the contest with five losses apiece.

Such is life in the NFL's sinkhole, otherwise known as the AFC South, where the 1-5 Titans and 2-5 Texans are each just one game back in the loss column of the division-leading Colts (3-4).

The Texans are coming off one of the ugliest losses for any team this season, a 44-26 thrashing by the Dolphins that was far worse than the final score suggests. Houston trailed 41-0 at halftime, and at one point in the second quarter, Miami led 35-0 while the Texans had zero net yards. To make matters worse, they also lost running back Arian Foster to a season-ending Achilles injury.

The defensive breakdowns are perhaps the most surprising part of this underachieving Texans team. Led by the most dominant defensive player on the planet, J.J. Watt, defense was supposed to be a strength in Houston this season. Yet they rank 28th in scoring defense through seven weeks and are pace to allow a franchise-record 454 points.

The Titans' Week 1 win over the Buccaneers seems like a distant memory now that Tennessee has dropped its last five games since beating Tampa Bay. Still, even with a 1-5 record, they have a better chance of making the playoffs (13.6 percent) than getting the No. 1 pick in next year's draft (12.3 percent), according to Football Outsiders' projections.

Tennessee has probably been more competitive than its 1-5 record indicates. Three of their losses -- against the Colts, Bills and Falcons -- have come by a total of six points, and they've been outscored by just 20 points in six games this season. While this team has some promising talent, it has struggled to finish games because of its youthful roster.