Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
Time: 1 PM ET (CBS)
Spread: IND -3.5
Total: 46.5
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The Indianapolis Colts have far from got off to the type of start that befit its preseason and ongoing Superbowl expectations. Now 0-2, the Colts will travel to Tennessee to face a much improved Titans team that sits at 1-1 on the heels of Marcus Mariota’s dominant week 1 performance.
The vaunted Oregon product has begun to show his worth, and while maybe his opponent Andrew Luck may have experienced much success, this will be a chance for the Titans to show they belong with a tough team that has been struggling visiting Nashville.
Last week, the Colts were stifled by a tough New York Jets’ defense as the Jets pulled away to win 20-7 in Indy in the Monday night game. The Colts were tripped into five turnovers and kept out of the end zone for three full quarters as Andrew Luck struggled to find any semblance of comfort given the Jets’ pressure.
Last season, the Colts also started its season with an 0-2 mark only to win five straight. However, this year it seems more ominous given Luck’s three INTs last week and his fumble.
Frank Gore has also been far less productive than the team anticipated the veteran RB would be, and last week he finished with 57 yards on 15 carries. The Colts have now scored just 21 points in eight quarters of play and Colts coach Chuck Pagano is sick of the turnovers, commenting “You can’t penalize yourself, you just can’t turn the ball over.”
Pagano further cited Luck’s protection as a big factor in the mishaps, but the Colts never really established a rhythm and fell apart early in the contest. Does that change against the Titans this week?
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The Titans last week helped Johnny Manziel get his first NFL victory, falling to the Cleveland Browns 28-14 on the road. The Browns scored two TDs in the first quarter and ended up leading 21-0 at the intercession. Manziel was able to make big plays against the Titans’ defense, throwing a 60-yard TD pass to Travis Benjamin only to hit him again for another 50-yard pass with 2:52 remaining in the game. There of course was also Benjamin’s 78-yard punt return in the first half which helped the Browns in their assault of the Titans.
Mariota threw two TD passes in the second half, but he really took a lot of big hits in doing so. He was sacked seven times and he came up with a gimpy ankle after the game. He finished 21 of 37 for 257 yards, but he was stripped by DE Armonty Bryant with the Titans down 14, putting the game firmly out of reach.
Mariota said “You understand this is a tough league and you can get beat anytime.” Mariota recorded a perfect passer rating in Week 1, though, and everyone is still sky high on what he can be when he is at his absolute best, some say possibly as good as Russell Wilson.
This week will be a chance for him to further prove that notion, because last week was tough. Even so, after the way he showed out against Jameis Winston in the Week 1 ‘W’ over Tampa Bay, the Titans are at minimum an improved team from last year’s two win disaster. Though the Colts are 3.5 point favorites, we favor Mariota to bounce back with a ‘W’ to really put Indianapolis into panic mode.
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