Winless Titans offer Colts chance to fix defensive issues

For safety Camryn Bynum and the Indianapolis Colts’ defense, it’s time to tighten things up.

It’s time to stop allowing so many points, start generating more takeaways and sacks and, most important, help the team improve on a 2-3 start that has it looking up at the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) in the AFC South.

On paper, a Sunday visit from the Tennessee Titans (0-5) should give Indianapolis a chance to turn things around. Coming off a 34-22 loss last week in Pittsburgh, the Colts rank 27th in the NFL in points allowed at 27.6 per game.

“Just leave no boxes unchecked,” he said. “I think this week, especially with our up-and-down performances that we’ve had, we want to lock in on every single detail and make sure that No. 1, effort and the controllable things are done to 100%.

“The communication, knowing our assignments, those things that are controllable, making sure those are taken care of because that should never be a question on game day. Then everything else after the ball snaps, then that’ll take care of itself.”

The Colts ran into plenty of problems in Pittsburgh, specifically 188 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns from the Steelers’ Jaylen Warren and 235 passing yards and three TD passes from Aaron Rodgers.

That was too much to overcome for an Indianapolis offense looking to regain the form that carried the team to an 8-2 start last year. Indianapolis is scoring 24.8 points per game this season (11th in the NFL) but ranks in the bottom half of the league in rushing, passing, total yards and third-down conversion percentage.

Although Jonathan Taylor has rushed for 398 yards and six touchdowns in five games, quarterback Daniel Jones hasn’t been quite as efficient. Losing No. 1 wide receiver Alec Pierce hasn’t helped, but Jones has averaged 5.8 yards per attempt, one of the lowest figures in the NFL.

In theory, Tennessee could help Jones find the explosive plays the offense has been missing. The Titans are allowing opponents to complete 74% of their passes, a rate surpassed only by the Miami Dolphins’ 76.6%.

On the other side of the ball, Tennessee’s offense has been consistently ineffective, averaging a league-low 11.6 points per game. The Titans suffered a 26-3 home loss to the previously winless Houston Texans last week.

Tennessee ranks last in total offense, 31st in passing, 27th in rushing and last in average time of possession. Second-year quarterback Cam Ward is averaging 5.8 yards per attempt, the same as Jones.

Ward knows it won’t be easy for the franchise to rebound after struggling mightily in recent seasons.

“We all have something to play for,” he said. “It’s bigger than ourselves — it’s about the organization. It’s about what we want the narrative to be about us. And we have the ability to control that each and every week.

“We know what we are capable of doing, and we are not meeting our expectations. But we have a lot of games left. At the end of the day, we have to play better on Sundays to get the results that we want.”

Since the start of the 2024 season, the Titans have lost 33 of 39 games, with four of the defeats coming against the Colts. Indianapolis has won the teams’ past six matchups.

Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. (quadriceps) did not practice on Wednesday, while running back Tyjae Spears (knee), cornerback Marcus Harris (ankle), safety Amani Hooker (concussion) and tight end David Martin-Robinson (hamstring) were limited.

Colts right tackle Jalen Travis (ankle), wide receiver Ashton Dulin (hamstring) and linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ribs) did not practice on Wednesday, while wide receiver Josh Downs (hamstring) was limited. Right guard Matt Goncalves and defensive end Jaylahn Tuimoloau were undergoing concussion evaluations.

This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.

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