The Tennessee Titans will play their third divisional contest of the 2023 campaign in Week 13 when they host the Indianapolis Colts in Nissan Stadium.
The Titans have lost each of their first two AFC South contests, with the first coming in Week 5 against Indy, who notched a victory at Lucas Oil Stadium, 23-16, snapping a five-game losing streak against its division rival.
Through 11 games, both teams have seen opposite results from what was expected going into the season.
Indianapolis was expected to be at or near the bottom of the division, yet they sit in second place going into this game. Meanwhile, the Titans were thought to be the biggest threat to the Jacksonville Jaguars but sit in the cellar of the AFC South.
Since their last matchup, the Titans have handed the keys to the car to rookie quarterback Will Levis, who was given the starting job when Ryan Tannehill injured his ankle.
The Colts, on the other hand, had to go to veteran signal-caller Gardner Minshew after rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against the Titans.
With the Titans seeking revenge in Week 13, here’s a look at their reasons for optimism and concern going into this matchup against the Colts.
Optimism: A home game
The Titans have yet to lose a game inside Nissan Stadium this season, with Tennessee sporting a 4-0 mark on their home turf. The Titans are a dreadful 0-7 away from Nashville. Here’s a look at their splits:
Games in Nissan Stadium (four)
Points per game: 24.8
Points allowed per game: 15.0
Games away from Nissan Stadium (seven)
Points per game: 12.3
Points allowed per game: 23.4
The Colts, on the other hand, have been a better road team, with their 4-1 mark being one of the best in the NFL.
Concern: Colts' rushing attack
While the Colts won’t have running back Jonathan Taylor for this game, they do have Zack Moss, who torched Tennessee for 165 yards and two scores in Week 5. Taylor played in that game but it was his first one back from injury and he was eased back in, seeing just six carries.
The Titans’ run defense, which was elite the past two years and in the early going of this season, has been a major disappointment overall. Thankfully, the unit has been better of late.
It goes without saying the Titans can’t see a repeat performance like that from Moss, but Tennessee must also be able to stop the run without bringing extra help so the defense can drop more players into coverage to aid its suspect secondary.
Optimism and concern: Titans' pass-rush
The Titans’ pass-rush has been about as inconsistent as they come this season. Tennessee’s group upfront can look absolutely dominant at times, like we saw in Week 12, and then it can disappear, like we saw in Week 5 against Indy.
The Titans did tally 15 pressures in the aforementioned contest, but they only had one sack, which allowed Gardner Minshew to pick apart the secondary with ease.
In what is a weekly necessity, the Titans need their pass-rush to make an impact for a full 60 minutes or else it’ll be a long day for the defense.
The good news is, the Titans’ pass-rush comes into this game with a head of steam after a stellar performance in Week 12. The bad news is, the Colts have one of the better pass-blocking offensive lines in the NFL.
Concern: Colts' pass-rush
The Titans’ offensive line is coming off one of its best games of the year, but it also came against a Carolina Panthers pass-rush that sports some talent but hasn’t had much success.
The Colts’ pass-rush is a different story, with Indy tallying 36 sacks in 2023, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL. The Colts have four players with five or more sacks, including Dayo Odeyingbo (6.5), Samson Ebukam (six), Kwity Paye (5.5) and DeForest Buckner (five).
Tennessee’s group upfront is a weekly concern, even against lackluster pass-rushes. However, this week there is added worry with the Colts bringing one of the best units in the NFL to Nashville.
Even with sufficient pass protection last week, rookie quarterback Will Levis still struggled with consistency. He’ll have no shot to rebound if Tennessee’s offensive line reverts to ineptitude in Week 13.
Optimism: Colts' run defense
One area of weakness for the Colts this season has been run defense, where the team ranks 26th in the NFL. This is something the Titans must take advantage of.
Unfortunately, that is far from a given. Not only did Indy hold running back Derrick Henry to just 43 yards on the ground in Week 5, but Tennessee’s offensive line has been inconsistent, at best, when blocking for the run.
Getting the ground game going will take pressure off Levis while also allowing him to effectively utilize play-action. At this early stage in the young signal-caller’s career, this is the best route for success.
