The Titans finally start the AFC South portion of the schedule and host the struggling Colts

Indianapolis (2-3). Tennessee (1-3)

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT, CBS.

BetMGM NFL odds: Titans at 2 1/2.

Against the Spread: Colts 4-1; Titans 1-3.

Last meeting: The Colts defeated the Titans 31-28 in OT on December 3, 2023 in Nashville.

Last week: Colts lost 37-34 in Jacksonville; The Titans said goodbye after the win Miami 31-12 on September 30th.

Colts offense: Total (13), Rush (12), Passing (12), Scoring (13).

Colts Defense: Total (32), Rush (31), Pass (29), Points (25).

Titans offense: Total (30), Rush (18), Passing (29), Scoring (20).

Titans Defense: Overall (1), Rushing (15), Passing (1), Scoring (15).

Turnover difference: Colts plus-1; Titans minus-7

Colts player to watch

Alec Pierce. The third-year receiver has given Indy the deep threat it has lacked in recent seasons. He leads the NFL with 28.3 yards per catch, has already set a new career high in a season with three touchdown catches, and last week he almost single-handedly took the Colts back to Jacksonville with three consecutive catches, a best performance his career of 134 yards. He’s looking for a strong encore this week.

Titans player to watch

QB Will Levis. He and Anthony Richardson were both drafted in 2023, and Levis has started more games than the fourth overall pick out of Florida. But both are tied with six interceptions this season, the most in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes was subbed six times, but the Chiefs played five games. Levis has finished just three of his four starts this season after suffering a throwing shoulder injury while trying to gain a first down against Miami.

Major injuries

Colts QB Anthony Richardson (hip) and Pro Bowl C Ryan Kelly (neck) both practiced. Jonathan Taylor (ankle), the 2021 NFL rushing champion, did not experience a similar scenario to last week when all three were out. The Colts also must decide on starting DE Kwity Paye (quadriceps) and Pro Bowl CB Kenny Moore II (hip), who also sat out last week. If Richardson misses another game, Joe Flacco will make his second consecutive start. If Kelly is out, the Colts could use two rookies – center Tanor Bortolini and right guard Dalton Tucker – with Will Fries on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on his injured right lower leg. WR Michael Pittman Jr. has a back injury that could force the Colts to place him on injured reserve. … Titans QB Will Levis is recovering from an injury to his throwing shoulder that knocked him out of the last game. … Two-time Pro Bowl DL Jeffery Simmons said he will be back after two weeks due to a left elbow injury. S Jamal Adams (hip) did not practice and DL Keondre Coburn also did not practice after injuring his knee in the previous game.

Notes on the series

Indy defeated the Titans last season after losing the previous five in the series. … Indy is 15-7 on the road against the Titans since they moved to Nashville. … The teams met only once in the postseason, with Tennessee handing Peyton Manning a 19-16 loss in his first playoff game in Indy. … The Colts and Titans met only six times when the franchises were based in Baltimore and Houston and eight times when Houston faced Indianapolis. In 2002 they became division rivals.

Statistics and stuff

The Colts are 0-2 in division play this season, have lost three straight AFC South games and are 4-9-1 against division opponents since 2021. They are two games behind defending champion Houston. … This is the Titans’ opener in the AFC South. … Indy ranks third in the NFL with 24 plays of 20 or more yards this season. It has also scored 20 or more points in 17 of its last 21 games. … With Richardson out last week, Flacco made his starting debut with the Colts. Richardson is 4-4 as a starter. The 39-year-old Flacco is 103-85. … With 78 scrimmage yards, Taylor Moore (6,040) would pass for fourth by a Colts player in his first five seasons. … LB EJ Speed ​​had his eight-game streak with 10 or more tackles come to an end last week in Jacksonville. It was the league’s longest streak since 1987. … Tied for the NFL lead with 54 tackles. Colts CB Nick Cross is tied for third in tackles (52). … Indy is in eighth place with eight takeaways. In addition, the fourth fewest points were allowed after a rally this season (six). … The Titans have won the game following their bye each of the last eight seasons. Only Buffalo (nine) has a longer active streak, second only to Philadelphia’s streak of 13 consecutive wins between 1999 and 2011. … The Titans have allowed a league-low 243.8 yards per game and also lead the NFL in pass defense, giving up just 124 yards per game. They held Miami to 184 yards rushing before their bye. … The Titans have used the same starting offensive line in the first four games, matching the most games Tennessee has used one of 11 different starting combinations in 2023. … K Nick Folk made five field goals, including three of at least 50 yards, in the Titans’ first win of the season.

Fantasy tip

Titans RB Tony Pollard has a season-high 108 yards from scrimmage. After contact, he’s even better at racking up yards and going against a banged up Colts defense that is among the worst in the NFL at stopping the run.

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