The high-flying and undefeated Colts roll into Nashville to take on the seemingly forsaken and trapped Titans. Can the Titans rebound from yet another demoralizing loss and upset Indianapolis? The Colts have taken the league by storm with their surprising start, given the credentials of their signal-caller. Tennessee is woefully undermanned and a liability in discipline, two traits that define perennially losing franchises. Still, this is the topsy-turvy AFC South, so the improbable can occur.
Fast Attack Colts Look To Repel Trapped Titans In Week 3
Colts Offense vs. Titans Defense
Head coach Shane Steichen has empowered the much-maligned Daniel Jones to a scorching hot start after coming over from the glare of the Big Apple. Can he continue the momentum against a consistently stout Titans defense? Jones won the job in camp over former first-round selection Anthony Richardson in a spirited battle. He possesses the weapons to make a run at the AFC South crown and beyond.
OL vs. DL Matchups To Watch
Sunday’s game will come down to the trenches, where the Colts’ offensive line should have the decisive advantage. The left side is one of the best in the league, with stalwarts Bernhard Raimann and perennial All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. Right tackle Braden Smith isn’t too shabby, either, sporting six seasons of PFF overall grades in the 70s and 80s. Sophomore starters Tanor Bortlini and Matt Goncalves acquitted themselves well as rookies last season and possess bright futures.
It will be a tall task for Tennessee’s front seven to even get a whiff of Jones with the high-caliber line in front of him. The Titans do have Jeffery Simmons and likely T’Vondre Sweat after Sweat missed last week’s game due to injury. Dre’Mont Jones must carry the load on the perimeter as Femi Oladejo will receive his baptism of fire against Smith. DC Dennard Wilson will have to scheme up pressure from every angle to generate any push.
Skill Position Battles To Watch
Jonathan Taylor paces the Colts’ offensive attack as the tone setter behind that all-powerful line. He’s on a Pro Bowl pace once again with over 200 yards rushing in two games. The Titans’ defense must be wary of him at all times, as is customary. Indianapolis needs Michael Pittman, Jr to step up further with star rookie tight end Tyler Warren ailing with a toe injury. Josh Downs appears to have made that third-year leap that most receivers use to launch their careers. He and Alec Pierce could have fruitful weeks against a tired and wounded Titans’ secondary.
Tennessee’s secondary is up against it with a potent offense in tow featuring a superstar running back and a bevy of talented receivers. Jarvis Brownlee, Jr, hobbled off in practice on Thursday, so his status remains unknown as of press time. L’Jarius Sneed has been effective in his limited snaps but is listed on the injury report with a bad back. Safety Xavier Woods played like a man possessed over the past couple of weeks, so he’ll need to continue that run of form. Roger McCreary is in a contract year and is playing like he wants more money and quickly. He’s been one of the best nickel corners in the league during his tenure.
Titans Offense vs. Colts Defense
Tennessee’s offense is in for an equally challenging mismatch against the Colts’ defense as their counterparts on Dennard Wilson’s stop unit. Can Brian Callahan find something to exploit in Indianapolis’ defensive armada? Will rookie Cam Ward get on the same page with his veteran receivers?
OL vs. DL Matchups To Watch
Right tackle JC Latham was declared out for another week due to a hip injury, so it remains to be seen who gets the start between John Ojukwu and Oli Udoh. Both players have been abject disasters and a massive liability, which isn’t anything new for Tennessee. The Colts will have their full complement of defensive line stars, like the venerated DeForest Buckner and rising star Laiatu Latu. Grover Stewart has historically been a chore for the Titans’ linemen to deal with, so he bears watching. Tennessee’s star interior trio of Zeitler, Cushenberry, and Skoronski will have their hands full with Stewart and Buckner. Kwity Paye looks to tee off against the highly-paid Dan Moore, Jr, and get his first sack of the season.
Skill Position Battles To Watch
Tennessee must prepare to watch for safety Cam Bynum, as he has produced two interceptions in the past two games. He’s been excellent this season in coverage, posting an overall PFF score of 87.7. The Colts have a veteran secondary that features corners like Xavien Howard and Charvarius Ward. Calvin Ridley hasn’t lived up to his billing through the first two games and needs to step up. The rookie sensation Elic Ayomanor cannot do it all himself. If the trapped Titans’ running game can get past the Colts’ fast defensive line, they have a chance against their linebackers. Cam Ward must be given time, which the line has failed to do, allowing him to be hit and sacked countless times.
Odds and Ends
The Colts dominate the all-time series by a margin of 39-22 over the Titans. Tennessee has lost four straight in the series after winning five consecutive matchups. The average margin of victory for the Colts in the rivalry during the losing streak is 28–23. During the Titans’ win streak, the margin of victory ended up 29-20. Indianapolis will have a new owner due to the tragic passing of Jim Irsay. Control of the franchise passed to his daughters, with Carlie Irsay-Gordon assuming primary authority as CEO.
Uniforms
🚨BRITCHES REPORT🚨: The @Titans will be decked out in light blue jerseys, white britches and light blue socks in Sunday’s game vs the @Colts. pic.twitter.com/Qt87eAQzpd
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 17, 2025
Weather Report
The weather for Sunday’s contestation is expected to be similar to last week’s game against the Rams. Sunday’s forecast calls for a projected high of 90 degrees with winds of eight miles per hour blowing from the south. However, there is a better than 50% chance of rain in the forecast, so both teams need to prepare for it.
Referee Referendum
(Data courtesy of nflpenalties.com)
Referee for Colts at Titans — Scott Novak
https://t.co/W459APrS5d #INDvsTEN pic.twitter.com/nyfkPJznXt— Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs🇺🇦 (@footballzebras) September 16, 2025
The 2025 campaign represents Novak’s seventh as the head referee and his 12th overall in the league. Novak’s crew tends to the younger side in the league, with seven of the eight yet to hit double digits in league experience. There could be some continuity issues as four crew members are new to Novak. Field Judge Terry Brown is the group’s old uncle, with 20 seasons of experience. The staff averages a shade over seven years of NFL experience, with Umpire Mike Morton, Down Judge Brian Sakowski, and Replay Assistant Brian Davies possessing less than five seasons of NFL experience.
Both teams will have to be on the lookout for Novak’s crew, which leads the league in accepted penalties with 41 total. Tennessee, in particular, will have to be wary, as 26 of the 41 have been called on the home team. Interestingly, Novak’s staff only called six penalties in Seattle’s game against the Steelers during week two. Tennessee is off to a horrendous start, leading the league with 23 accepted penalties. With Novak’s crew handing out penalties like overzealous parents handing out Halloween candy, Tennessee must vastly improve its discipline.
Main Image: Andrew Nelles – Imagn Images
