NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Looking desperately for a spark for its struggling offense, Tennessee turned to rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger on Sunday.

On the other hand, all Houston had to do to end its three-game losing streak was hand the ball to Arian Foster.

The Texans running back rushed 20 times for 151 yards and scored three touchdowns, leading his team to an easy 30-16 win at sold-out LP Field.

Foster found the end zone on a 34-yard run, snapping a 3-3 second quarter tie, and plunged in from the 1 with 5:42 left in the third quarter for a 27-3 lead which sent some in the audience of 69,143 streaming for the exits.

Foster, who also caught a 5-yard scoring strike from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with 12:35 remaining in the third, has rolled up 766 yards in just seven games. He missed Houston’s Sept. 21 loss at the New York Giants with a hamstring injury.

“He has a really good ability to get the ball north and south after his first cut,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “I always tell (running backs coach) Charles London, ‘That’s great coaching.'”

Meanwhile, Mettenberger’s first NFL start went about like it figured to — some bright spots with some rookie errors. The sixth-round draft pick from LSU completed 27 of 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns on 6- and 12-yard throws to tight end Delanie Walker and wide receiver Justin Hunter, respectively.

But Mettenberger didn’t get much help from a running game which managed only 36 yards on 13 carries, or an offensive line which left him vulnerable to Houston’s strong pass rush. Defensive end J.J. Watt notched two sacks, giving him nine in eight games.

His first sack led to a Mettenberger fumble that was recovered by defensive end Tim Jamison at the Titans 20. It turned into Foster’s touchdown reception three plays later, giving the Texans (4-4) a 20-3 lead.

“I saw some things to build on,” Mettenberger said, “but we just have to keep working hard. We have to eliminate the penalties and turnovers.”

Mettenberger was named the starter Thursday over Jake Locker, a 2011 first-round pick who has struggled with injuries and inaccuracy in his four seasons, and career backup Charlie Whitehurst.

Houston cornerback Johnathan Joseph said defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel mixed coverages in an attempt to keep Mettenberger off-balance.

“A guy starting his first game, you want to throw different looks at him,” Joseph said. “At the same time, you want to stay tight in coverage with the guys so that (Mettenberger) has to make contested throws.”

Tennessee (2-6) lost for the sixth time in seven games, but is hoping next week’s bye helps it bounce back for the season’s second half.

What the Texans said:

“We started running the ball better and I think that helped us out a lot.” — Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

What the Titans said:

“We have to clean up our mental mistakes. We shot ourselves in the foot with the penalties we had, putting us in third and long.” — Tight end Delanie Walker.

What we learned about the Texans:

1. Running back Arian Foster has been a total beast through the season’s first half. Despite missing one game with a hamstring injury that left him at less than 100 percent for the next one, Foster has rushed for 766 yards. A classic one-cut runner with the speed to make long runs, Foster consistently got to the second level Sunday. He’s on a pace for more than 1,700 yards rushing, making a subpar offense into a respectable unit.

2. Defensive end J.J. Watt is one of those players who doesn’t have to show up on a stat sheet to affect the texture of a game. Commanding extra attention on every play, Watt still makes play after play. He recorded two sacks Sunday, giving him nine for the year, and also knocked down a pass. One of his sacks carried with it a forced fumble which led to a third-quarter touchdown. Just another day for the odds-on favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

–DE Jadeveon Clowney (knee) returned to action for the first time since getting injured in Week 1 against Washington. Clowney didn’t start but did make a tackle. He should see more playing time next week against Philadelphia.

–LB Brian Cushing (knee) went through pregame warm-ups but didn’t play, replaced by Akeem Dent, who finished with four tackles and a quarterback hurry. It’s not known if Cushing will be able to play next week.

–WR Andre Johnson led the team in receiving with seven catches, but for just 55 yards with no catch longer than 13 yards. Johnson is still a reliable receiver with 46 grabs at the halfway point of the season, but isn’t a big-play threat any more, averaging only 12 yards per grab with no play longer than 26 yards.

What we learned about the Titans:

1. Quarterback Zach Mettenberger made some nice throws and some bad ones, which one could expect in his first NFL start. Mettenberger was 27 of 41 for 299 yards and two touchdowns, along with an interception late in the first half that led to a Houston field goal. The Titans are committed to playing him for the season’s remainder so they can figure out if they can build around him or if they must draft a quarterback next spring.

2. Why is this offensive line such a weak link? The team has spent heavily on free agents at this spot the last two years, but the unit can’t consistently block for the run or keep the pass rush away from the quarterback. Also, the tendency to hold constantly sets the offense back. The line was nailed for two holding fouls and a face-mask penalty in the first half, ruining any chances to get into a rhythm.

–WR Nate Washington (sprained AC joint) was injured in the fourth quarter, but the extent of his injury isn’t known. Washington caught four passes for 68 yards Sunday, leading the team in receiving yardage.

–LB James Anderson (ankle) was hurt during an onside kick in the last minute and his status isn’t known. The team has a bye week coming up, so Anderson might be able to return for a Nov. 9 game in Baltimore.

–RB Shonn Greene started despite his arrest Friday in suburban Nashville on multiple charges, including parking in a handicapped spot. Greene carried once for one yard, but didn’t get another carry for the game’s remainder. Coach Ken Whisenhunt said after the game that Greene’s status will be determined after the Franklin Police Department takes action.