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The Tennessee Titans will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, to take on the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CST. The Titans are still in pursuit of their first victory of the season and face a tough challenge against a Colts team that has won the last six meetings between the two franchises.
Head coach Robert Saleh must find a way to get his offense on the same page. Quarterback Cam Ward continues to look indecisive in the pocket, and the rest of the offense, including the offensive line, often appears unsure of their assignments. While the Colts do not currently have a winning record, a win over the Titans would bring them to .500 and keep them in second place in the AFC South. They will rely on running back Jonathan Taylor to manage the clock and quarterback Daniel Jones to frequently target tight end Tyler Warren to move the ball down the field. It is not going to be an easy day for the Titans, and pessimism surrounding the team is likely to worsen after this week.
Here are six keys to a Titans victory over the Colts in Week 6.
Run the Ball Early
The Titans are averaging just 82.6 rushing yards per game this season, partly due to overall poor offensive play that cannot sustain drives. However, the Colts are allowing over 130 rushing yards per game, and the Titans must capitalize on this weakness. A productive ground game would steady the offense, keep the Colts' pass rush guessing, and create better first- and second-down results. Those results mean fewer third-and-long situations that the Titans have been unable to convert effectively, allowing the offense to stay ahead of the chains.
Get Cam Ward into a Rhythm
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll must do a better job of putting Cam Ward in position to succeed against the Colts. He needs to call plays that Ward is comfortable executing and capable of running efficiently. Starting with quick, high-percentage throws and avoiding obvious passing situations would help. Ward has thrown just three passing touchdowns through five games, along with three interceptions. One way to get him into a rhythm is to make wide receiver Carnell Tate a regular part of the plan. Tate leads the Titans with 23 catches but had only one reception against the Houston Texans in Week 5. The Titans must find ways to get him involved early.
Make Jonathan Taylor Work for His Yards
Taylor has repeatedly hurt Tennessee, but he has been held to under 100 rushing yards in 12 straight games. The Titans' run defense has played well this season, allowing around 114 yards per game, but they have forced opponents to use multiple backs to accumulate those yards. Only Breece Hall has rushed for over 100 yards against the Titans this season. The run defense must show up and force Taylor to earn every yard he gets on Sunday. Slowing him down will be a huge key to stopping the Colts' offense.
Time to Get Takeaways
The Titans have recorded just two takeaways, both interceptions, through five games. They have given the ball away seven times this season, four fumbles and three interceptions, resulting in a turnover ratio of -5. That will not cut it in the NFL if they want to win games. Daniel Jones has thrown four interceptions and three touchdowns this season, so if the Titans can pressure him, they will force him to make bad decisions. When under pressure, Jones tends to give the ball away. The Titans need to capitalize on that and force turnovers on Sunday.
Give Jeffery Simmons Some Help
Simmons is a monster on the defensive interior. His presence requires teams to double and sometimes triple-team him just to prevent him from getting to the quarterback. When they do not, the player responsible for stopping him usually gets called for a hold. So, when the Colts put multiple people on Simmons to keep him at bay, someone else must step up and get through the line. However many extra players the Colts commit to stopping Simmons, that is the same number of Titans who should be open to create problems. This ties back to the previous key, as it will help create the pressure on Jones that forces him to make bad decisions.
Sustain Drives and Play Four Quarters
The Titans have to figure out how to sustain drives and score touchdowns. Continuing to settle for field goals is never going to win games in this league. Tennessee cannot let an early deficit force them away from the run. They need Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears to have an opportunity to help not only manage the clock but also give Ward manageable drives and put him in situations he can win. The last six losses to the Colts have come during a streak where Indianapolis averaged 31.8 points per game. If the Titans can sustain drives, score touchdowns, and play for all four quarters, they will have a much better shot at not only bringing that number down but actually winning a game.
Originally reported by yahoo.