The Colts get a chance to steady things at home in Week 6, and the setup is hard to miss. Indianapolis is 2-3 and has leaned heavily on Spencer Shrader, whose 16-of-16 kicking has been a major part of the offense’s early identity. Tennessee arrives at 0-5 with an offense that has been dead last in the league, even if the Titans have at least held up better against the run than most teams would expect.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 18, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and BetMGM lists the Colts as 7-point favorites. The over/under is 44.5, with Indianapolis at -325 on the moneyline and Tennessee at +260.
The pick range on this one runs from comfortable Colts wins to a few voices believing the Titans can finally break through. Joel A.
Erickson of IndyStar called for Colts 24-14, saying, "The Indianapolis defense has struggled against good offenses, but the Titans are not a good offense. The Colts should be able to come away with a win."
Nathan Brown also went with Colts 24-14, though he sees a little more resistance than that score suggests. "This should be a game the Colts win by 20 or more, given the state of Tennessee’s offense.
But the Titans have defended the run well, and that could put the game in Daniel Jones’ hands, which gives me pause. Even though we saw the Colts win by 17 in London, nothing we’ve seen so far this year gives me confidence to expect another comfortable win.
Indianapolis pulls this one out, but it’s closer than fans would like."
Frank Schwab of Yahoo took Indianapolis to cover the spread. "The Titans should be very happy the Dolphins exist, or else there would be even more talk about how bad they are. Indianapolis hasn't been great, either, but it's just too difficult to take the Titans right now."
Not everyone is convinced the Colts will handle business. Gennaro Filice of NFL.com went with Titans 14-13 and laid out the case for a Tennessee upset, pointing to the matchup, the Colts’ uneven offense and a defense he described as bottom-tier through five weeks. He also noted Tennessee’s offensive issues, but said the Titans’ defense has "some bite" up front with Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk took the Colts 27-10, writing, "The Colts can’t afford to lose at home to a team that can’t do much on either side of the ball."
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report had Tennessee covering, citing progress between Cam Ward and Carnell Tate. "The Titans' quarterback-receiver duo (of Cam Ward and Carnell Tate) showed progress in their rapport that could carry over into this game against a porous pass defense. The Ward-Tate connection with a sprinkle of Wan'Dale Robinson puts Indianapolis on upset alert."
Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News picked Colts 24-20, saying, "Cam Ward isn't getting it done at all in the new offense as Tennessee cannot run or pass well enough to win games. Robert Saleh can do only so much with the defense while Brian Daboll is struggling to find answers in execution. The Colts are more put-together with Jonathan Taylor, the key to rebounding back to .500 at home."
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports also sided with Indianapolis, projecting Colts 28-17. "The winless Titans head out on the road to play a Colts team that has been inconsistent.
The Colts' defense has improved in recent weeks, which will challenge Cam Ward and the Titans' limited offense. Look for the Colts to get a division victory as Jonathan Taylor has a big game."
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Face A Receiver Question Before The Trade Deadline
The Colts went into the season expecting more from their receiver room after signing Keenan Allen in the offseason, but the group has been held back by injuries and underperformance and now sits near the bottom of the league. For a team trying to keep pace in a competitive stretch, the lack of reliable production out wide has turned into a problem that cannot be ignored for long.
With the trade deadline approaching, Indianapolis is at least exploring the possibility of adding help at wide receiver. The search has already sparked plenty of speculation around the league, and while the Colts have not confirmed any move, the fact that they are being linked to this market says plenty about how urgent the need has become. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Already Face A New Receiver Problem After Short-Lived Move
The Colts receiver room has already taken another turn after a short-lived roster move, as the team continued looking for a way to replace the vertical element it lost when Alec Pierce went on injured reserve. Indianapolis brought in veteran help to cover that opening, but the fit never lasted long, and the club is back to sorting through its options with several wideouts still on the active roster and practice squad.
For a team still trying to stabilize its passing-game depth, the quick reversal underscores how unsettled the position remains. The Colts need speed and downfield juice, but the latest move shows they are still searching for the right answer rather than simply plugging a hole. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Face One Titans Threat That Could Ruin A Needed Reset
Tennessees slow start has turned this weeks matchup into more than just another AFC South date for the Colts. The Titans arrive at 0-5, and the conversation around them has centered on a roster still trying to find its footing, a quarterback in Cam Ward, and a pair of rookies in Carnell Tate and Anthony Hill Jr. who have offered some reasons for hope even as the bigger picture remains messy under owner Amy Adams Strunk.
For Indianapolis, the temptation is to treat this as a chance to reset after recent questions on its own side of the ball, especially with the offense built to control games in ways Tennessee has struggled to do. But the Titans still have enough pieces to make life awkward, including John Franklin-Myers up front, and the Colts know a division opponent with little to lose can turn a tidy week into an uncomfortable one in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]