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With the month of September all but concluded and Week 4 of the NFL season has officially arrived, a pair of AFC South rivals will go head-to-head to try and catapult themselves up the division standings as the Tennessee Titans meet up with the Indianapolis Colts for the first time this year. Join us for our NFL odds series, where our Titans-Colts prediction and pick will be revealed.
After surviving a feverish comeback from the Raiders last weekend and escaping with a 24-22 win to avoid starting off 0-3, Tennessee will look to even up their record against a Colts team that usually plays well at home. In what has been a surprise so far in the division with the Jacksonville Jaguars currently residing in first place, this may be considered a must-win for the Titans to keep pace and build off of their impressive 2021 campaign that saw them finish the regular season as the number-one seed in the AFC.
Coming into last Sunday, the Colts were tasked with the extremely difficult challenge of slowing down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Surprisingly, Indianapolis pulled it off and took advantage of some critical mistakes by the Chiefs down the stretch to secure a dramatic and possibly season-changing victory. Now at a unique 1-1-1 record, can the Colts take another step forward and avoid having last week's emotional triumph be all for not?
Here are the Titans-Colts NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Titans-Colts Odds
Tennessee Titans: +3.5 (-115)
Indianapolis Colts: -3.5 (-105)
Over: 42.5 (-112)
Under: 42.5 (-108)
Why The Titans Could Cover The Spread
A year ago, the Titans' formula to win football games was simple: feed Derrick Henry the rock, utilize the play-action pass to make life easier for Ryan Tannehill, and play a stingy brand of defense that makes life hard for opposing offenses. In the first two games of the 2022 season, the Titans struggled to do any of the three and began to see themselves sinking in quicksand before the campaign had barely begun. Luckily, the team with one of the best records in the NFL last season finally put it all together with a strong running game and a solid game from their veteran quarterback.
Now the question is if the Titans can have a good showing in back-to-back weeks. Tennessee will face off with Indianapolis twice in the next three weeks and will need to come out firing on all cylinders to cover the spread on Sunday. Even though the Titans showed glimpses of returning to their smash-mouth ways versus Las Vegas, they are still only averaging 94 yards per game on the ground and will need to continue to find different ways to create running lanes for Derrick Henry and the other Tennessee backs. With that being said, if the Titans can dominate within the trenches in the running game and dominate the Time of Possession, then covering the spread will come that much easier.
Additionally, the Titans should have the advantage when their defense takes the field against in what has been a mediocre Colts offensive attack so far. Outside of the ugly 41-7 performance against the Bills, the defense has held their own and should put all of their focus on not letting Jonathan Taylor run wild throughout the contest.
Why The Colts Could Cover The Spread
How about those Indianapolis Colts? While the offense still remained dormant for a majority of the game but still came through when it mattered most after the swarming defense was able to force a pair of key turnovers late which proved to be the difference. Not to mention, but it was the veteran QB Matt Ryan who orchestrated a game-winning drive in the waning moments as he led the troops to the win. Now with the chance to improve to 2-1-1, Indy may have gotten their swagger back.
Led by veteran quarterbacks with two of the top running backs in the game and equipped with respectable defenses, each side will attempt to give the other a taste of their own medicine. The biggest strength on this team comes in the form of Jonathan Taylor, as the human locomotive is always seemingly moving his feet and fighting for extra yardage.
Not to mention, but Taylor ranks fourth in the league in yards per game and will be facing off with a Titans defense that has been inconsistent and is clashing off with the 29th-rated run defense in all of football. The key to success for the Colts is to not give up on their game plan of supplying Taylor with an abundant amount of touches even if they go down on the scoreboard early.
Final Titans-Colts Prediction & Pick
When it comes to the NFL, divisional games are always a battle to the finish. With the line set at 3.5 on both sides, this one has the makings of coming down to the wire. However, don't be surprised if the Colts are slightly emotionally spent after last week's victory and are still trying to find their identity. Side with the Titans in this one since they have more of a proven track record over the last couple of seasons.
Final Titans-Colts Prediction & Pick: Titans +3.5 (-115)
