The Titans are showing signs of getting tougher under first-year coach Brian Callahan.

The Tennessee Titans are showing signs of tightening up.

This time around, they were able to shake off eight sacks and three turnovers to stave off a third straight losing season for at least another week. The Titans not only scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-play drive in the fourth quarter, but they also had back-to-back sacks.

The second resulted in safety with a 32-27 victory over the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.

First-year coach Brian Callahan explained how the Titans (3-8) responded to the ultimate test in the NFL, where the only grading system is wins and losses.

“We finally have a chance to face a really good team in the division and show what we can do,” Callahan said. “We think this is the team we are capable of being. This is the team I believed in all year.”

Running back Tony Pollard says the Titans have learned some important lessons that can only be learned from dealing with adversity. They had a lot of things that can wear teams down late in the season.

“Eventually they will start to roll over,” Pollard said.

What works

Crime. The Titans scored a season-high in points and exceeded their average for the game with 20 points at halftime. Even better, quarterback Will Levis started and finished in his first win of the season. Levis also completed his first 11 passes and connected with seven different receivers.

Levis finished with 278 yards passing and two touchdowns. Pollard also rushed for 119 yards as the Titans played deep, holding the ball for more than 34 minutes. They finished with four plays of 27 yards or longer, with Levis responsible for the three longest plays.

What needs help

Special teams. Coordinator Colt Anderson was under pressure that continued unabated after the Texans gave up an 80-yard kickoff return on their first kickoff. The Titans then gave up a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, just the fourth time this has happened in the NFL since 2000 and the first time since the Chargers in Week 7 in 2018.

Things didn’t get any better after rookie Ja’Quan Jackson fumbled a Houston punt near midfield in the third quarter. The Titans only missed a field goal. But special teams allowed the Texans to average 36.8 yards per kick return.

Punter Ryan Stonehouse had a net average of 45.2 yards as he offset a 38-yard run that counts as a scoring drive for him with a 62-yarder early in the fourth that helped turn the field over.

Stock up

Tight end Chig Okonkwo. The 2022 fourth-round draft pick had a 70-yard touchdown catch, the longest catch of his career. That single touchdown catch had more yards than Okonkwo had managed in any of his previous 44 games.

This was enough to win the game.

Stocks fell

Levis completed his first 11 passes. Over his last three starts, he’s completed 67.9 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and just two interceptions for a 107.2 passer rating. Callahan likes these signs of improvement.

“We definitely have to cut down on the number of sacks. … We can’t give up eight sacks a game and feel like that’s going to be enough,” Callahan said.

The sophomore quarterback needs to be more aware of the pressure to avoid getting sacked. The Titans’ offensive line didn’t help much, but Levis took a beating as Houston sacked him eight times. He has now been sacked 20 times in three straight starts since returning from a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

He also had his third pick-6 this season.

Injuries

The Titans played in Houston without starting cornerback Amari Hooker due to illness. Callahan said they will give CB Chidobe Awuzie a chance to practice for a possible return from injured reserve.

Key number

35 is the number of sacks Levis has made in eight games this season, or more than all but three NFL quarterbacks. One of them? Houston’s C.J. Stroud, who was fired after providing a safety and a road win for Tennessee.

Next steps

A road win over the AFC South leader and defending champion could provide a needed confidence boost for the Titans. They complete a two-game road trip by visiting Washington (7-5), which has lost three straight.

The Titans are playing four of their last five games in the AFC South, where they have little hope of making the postseason even as fans are rooting for a high draft pick.