--Indy Star
Colts' run offense vs. Titans' run defense
The Colts have bumped their average per carry to 3.5 yards with a couple encouraging games. RB Joseph Addai (3.8 ypg) and RB Donald Brown (3.5 ypg) have settled into a steady rotation. Addai starts. Then they alternate. And Brown typically finishes. While the Colts are still a passing team, the run continues to be essential to keep defenses honest. The Titans are second in the NFL at just 2.8 yards allowed per carry, so the yards could be stingy to come by this week. OLBs Keith Bulluck and David Thornton, the latter a former Colt, are excellent at firing through holes to make stops. The Titans also count on S Chris Hope to make a lot of tackles. TITANS.
Colts' pass offense vs. Titans' pass defense
This is, without question, the biggest disparity in strengths and weaknesses. QB Peyton Manning has passed for a league-best 1,336 yards. WR Reggie Wayne (399 yards) and TE Dallas Clark (364 yards) rank second and fourth in receiving yards. WR Pierre Garcon has become a reliable alternative. Rookie WR Austin Collie caught his first TD pass last week and is strong in the slot. Plus, the Colts have kept Manning well protected with just two sacks allowed. The Titans can apply pressure with DEs Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse, but they are nicked up in the secondary and allowing 282.3 passing yards per game. How can the Titans limit Manning? That's a good question. COLTS.
Titans' run offense vs. Colts' run defense
RB Chris Johnson has been everything the Titans could have hoped for when they selected him in the opening round a year ago. He's averaging 6.3 yards per carry and already has a 91-yard TD run this season. But the Titans have had to pass more, playing from behind. Letting them hang around means more of Johnson and a ball-control offense. Aside from failing miserably to stop Miami's wildcat formation, the Colts have been strong against the run in the other three games. Seattle managed 49 yards rushing last week. Arizona gained 24 the week before that. The Colts also could be bolstered by the return of S Bob Sanders, who practiced for the first time this week. TITANS.
Titans' pass offense vs. Colts' pass defense
Titans rookie WR Kenny Britt, the 30th overall selection last April, has been an excellent addition with a team-best 17 catches for 271 yards, a 15.9-yard average. His speed stretches the field. He already has a 57-yard catch. But QB Kerry Collins still doesn't have a deep pool of receivers. Justin Gage and Nate Washington have caught TD passes, Washington actually has three, but the tendency is for the Titans to throw the shorter routes. They will have to against the Colts, who sacked Seattle's Seneca Wallace five times. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have five sacks each. The Colts will be looking to force Collins to make decisions before he wants to. COLTS.
Special teams
The Colts have been decent in kick coverage and better than the Titans, who have allowed 24.7 yards on kickoffs and 12.7 yards on punts. The Colts are giving up 21.8 yards on kickoffs and 5.3 yards on punts. Both teams have been so-so if not subpar on returns. Both kickers are considered among the league's best, the Titans' Rob Bironas and the Colts' Adam Vinatieri. But each have had a bad miss, Vinatieri from 32 yards out at Arizona and Bironas had a 31-yarder blocked at Pittsburgh. The Titans lost punter Craig Hentrich to a season-ending injury. Colts rookie punter Pat McAfee has been exceptional on kickoffs and averages 43.8 yards per punt. EVEN.
Coaches
The beat rolls on for new Colts coach Jim Caldwell, who has seen his team recover from a shaky start with a close win over Jacksonville and an unusual victory at Miami when his offense wasn't on the field for a quarter. The last two games, the offense and defense have clicked. It didn't matter who was hurt, the Colts executed at a high level. But this is the AFC South now, not an NFC West opponent, and Titans coach Jeff Fisher knows the Colts as well as anyone. He will have his struggling team ready. They always play hard. Three of the Titans' four losses were by a touchdown or less. It's not like the Titans will roll over. The Titans have rarely if ever had more talent than the Colts. That this series has been so contested is a credit to Fisher. TITANS.
Colts' run offense vs. Titans' run defense
The Colts have bumped their average per carry to 3.5 yards with a couple encouraging games. RB Joseph Addai (3.8 ypg) and RB Donald Brown (3.5 ypg) have settled into a steady rotation. Addai starts. Then they alternate. And Brown typically finishes. While the Colts are still a passing team, the run continues to be essential to keep defenses honest. The Titans are second in the NFL at just 2.8 yards allowed per carry, so the yards could be stingy to come by this week. OLBs Keith Bulluck and David Thornton, the latter a former Colt, are excellent at firing through holes to make stops. The Titans also count on S Chris Hope to make a lot of tackles. TITANS.
Colts' pass offense vs. Titans' pass defense
This is, without question, the biggest disparity in strengths and weaknesses. QB Peyton Manning has passed for a league-best 1,336 yards. WR Reggie Wayne (399 yards) and TE Dallas Clark (364 yards) rank second and fourth in receiving yards. WR Pierre Garcon has become a reliable alternative. Rookie WR Austin Collie caught his first TD pass last week and is strong in the slot. Plus, the Colts have kept Manning well protected with just two sacks allowed. The Titans can apply pressure with DEs Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse, but they are nicked up in the secondary and allowing 282.3 passing yards per game. How can the Titans limit Manning? That's a good question. COLTS.
Titans' run offense vs. Colts' run defense
RB Chris Johnson has been everything the Titans could have hoped for when they selected him in the opening round a year ago. He's averaging 6.3 yards per carry and already has a 91-yard TD run this season. But the Titans have had to pass more, playing from behind. Letting them hang around means more of Johnson and a ball-control offense. Aside from failing miserably to stop Miami's wildcat formation, the Colts have been strong against the run in the other three games. Seattle managed 49 yards rushing last week. Arizona gained 24 the week before that. The Colts also could be bolstered by the return of S Bob Sanders, who practiced for the first time this week. TITANS.
Titans' pass offense vs. Colts' pass defense
Titans rookie WR Kenny Britt, the 30th overall selection last April, has been an excellent addition with a team-best 17 catches for 271 yards, a 15.9-yard average. His speed stretches the field. He already has a 57-yard catch. But QB Kerry Collins still doesn't have a deep pool of receivers. Justin Gage and Nate Washington have caught TD passes, Washington actually has three, but the tendency is for the Titans to throw the shorter routes. They will have to against the Colts, who sacked Seattle's Seneca Wallace five times. DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis have five sacks each. The Colts will be looking to force Collins to make decisions before he wants to. COLTS.
Special teams
The Colts have been decent in kick coverage and better than the Titans, who have allowed 24.7 yards on kickoffs and 12.7 yards on punts. The Colts are giving up 21.8 yards on kickoffs and 5.3 yards on punts. Both teams have been so-so if not subpar on returns. Both kickers are considered among the league's best, the Titans' Rob Bironas and the Colts' Adam Vinatieri. But each have had a bad miss, Vinatieri from 32 yards out at Arizona and Bironas had a 31-yarder blocked at Pittsburgh. The Titans lost punter Craig Hentrich to a season-ending injury. Colts rookie punter Pat McAfee has been exceptional on kickoffs and averages 43.8 yards per punt. EVEN.
Coaches
The beat rolls on for new Colts coach Jim Caldwell, who has seen his team recover from a shaky start with a close win over Jacksonville and an unusual victory at Miami when his offense wasn't on the field for a quarter. The last two games, the offense and defense have clicked. It didn't matter who was hurt, the Colts executed at a high level. But this is the AFC South now, not an NFC West opponent, and Titans coach Jeff Fisher knows the Colts as well as anyone. He will have his struggling team ready. They always play hard. Three of the Titans' four losses were by a touchdown or less. It's not like the Titans will roll over. The Titans have rarely if ever had more talent than the Colts. That this series has been so contested is a credit to Fisher. TITANS.
