The Tennessee Titans are gearing up for an AFC South showdown with the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16. This will be the final meeting between the teams until 2025.
In the first meeting, the Titans fell, 20-17, in Nashville. It was a game the Titans could have won, but the team got outscored 10-0 in the 4th quarter.
Per BetMGM, the Colts are 3.5-point favorites over the Titans with an over/under of 42.5. Now, let’s identify the five things to know for this game.
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Titans last win vs. Colts was over 2 years ago
Matt Ryan was the quarterback of the Colts the last time they lost to the Titans. The Colts swept the Titans in 2023 and won the first matchup in 2024, meaning it’s been over two calendar years since the Titans beat their rivals.
The Titans would love to stop the streak this weekend. The Colts technically are alive in the playoff race, and a loss to the Titans would end any of that talk.
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Both teams have disappointed in 2024
If the season ended today, neither of these teams would sniff the playoffs. The Titans have been officially eliminated for a couple of weeks, while the Colts have a slim-but-not-zero chance still.
Coming into the season, the Colts were seen as a team that could compete for a wild card spot or perhaps even the division. Anthony Richardson was supposed to step up and prove he belongs as a starting quarterback.
Instead, Richardson was benched for a stretch. Granted, the quarterback regained his starting job, but he hasn’t been great since then either. The Titans? Well, we know what happened there.
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Richardson has only played the Titans once
Anthony Richardson was injured during the second Titans-Colts meeting in 2023. The quarterback was banged up/benched for the first meeting this year as well.
The Titans have an entirely new coaching staff this year as well, so Richardson has never faced a Brian Callahan-led Titans team. Granted, the Callahan-led Titans team is 3-11, but still.
Perhaps the Titans will take advantage of Richardson’s inexperience this weekend.
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Mason Rudolph is the new starter
Mason Rudolph is the starting quarterback for the Titans now. It should have happened sooner, but better late than never.
Rudolph didn’t get to start against the Colts in the first game. Will Levis started and managed to throw for just 95 yards and the Titans still almost won. I can almost guarantee Rudolph will throw for 100-plus yards this weekend.
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Brian Callahan doesn’t think his team is soft
Brian Callahan went on an NSFW rant on Wednesday. The coach got agitated when a reporter asked if the Titans were a “soft” team.
Callahan couldn’t believe that anyone would dare question his team’s makeup. Do soft teams get blown out weekly, make mental errors, and look unenthused? Oh, wait…
It will be interesting to see if Callahan’s fiery presser inspires this team for a rivalry game.