While some divisions have clear leaders, the AFC South is a three-way race between the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars. The 6-5 Titans are in third place, trailing the 6-5 Colts and 7-4 Texans.
The Titans can get one step closer to the postseason with a victory against the Colts this Sunday. Let's take a look at the four reasons why that will be the case.
4. T.Y. Hilton won't play
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Hilton suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf injury and won't play on Sunday. When Hilton plays this season, the Colts are 5-2. That's including their Week 12 loss where Hilton wasn't fully healthy.
Hilton, who led the Colts in receptions and receiving yards last season, is an irreplaceable part of his team's offense. Despite only appearing in seven games, his 35 receptions, 378 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns lead the team. Eric Ebron, who is third on the team in receptions and receiving yards and second in receiving yards, was recently placed on IR.
With Hilton ruled out and Ebron sidelined for the remainder of the year, Zach Pascal is Indianapolis' top receiving threat. That's a severe drop-off.
3. Momentum
The Colts have lost three of their previous four games. In contrast, the Titans have won four of their last five games. Ryan Tannehill was at the helm for that entire stretch.
The Titans have scored 77 points in their last two games. Last week, they blew out the Jaguars 42-20. Meanwhile, the Colts are two weeks removed from a 33-13 win over the Jaguars. However, Indianapolis lost to Houston last week and came up short against Miami and Pittsburgh in Weeks 9 and 10.
Tennessee's top players are also picking up steam. Derrick Henry has rushed for 347 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games. Harold Landry, who leads the team in sacks, has a sack in each of his previous four appearances.
In contrast, Jacoby Brissett has just 277 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the last two games. The Colts and Titans are simply trending in different directions.
2. Tennessee's run defense
With Brissett struggling, the Colts are focusing on running the ball down opposing teams' throats. Indianapolis had 439 rushing yards in its last two games. Even without Marlon Mack, the Colts have turned to Jonathan Williams for big performances. If Tennessee can neutralize the run game, Indianapolis' offense will be de-fanged.
Luckily for the Titans, their defense is only allowing 103.8 rushing yards per game. Even with Jurrell Casey missing time this season, Tennessee has given opposing teams trouble upfront. Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee's rookie first-round pick, is already causing problems for offensive lines. Second-year linebacker Rashaan Evans is also playing an increasingly significant role in Tennessee's success.
The Colts have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. When these two teams clashed in Week 2, the Colts ran for 167 yards and won the game 19-17. The Titans need to do a better job containing the run in the rematch.
1. Tannehill's hot streak
Tannehill's recent success plays into the momentum Tennessee has built up since benching Marcus Mariota in favor of the former Dolphin. Tannehill has thrown four touchdowns and zero interceptions during the last two weeks. He also ran for two touchdowns last week.
Since becoming a starter entering Week 7, Tannehill has transformed Tennessee fortunes. He has completed 71.01% of his pass attempts for ten touchdowns and three interceptions during that time. He also has a 114.9 passer rating since taking the reins.
With some superstar quarterbacks stumbling in recent weeks, Tannehill looks like one of the better quarterbacks in the league. If he continues playing at this pace, the Titans will make the playoffs.
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