With the amount of injuries and a bunch of positive COVID-19 cases, I wanted to wait a little bit more on this one to have more clarity about what the matchups would be for this game.
Danny Pinter vs. Jeffery Simmons
Danny Pinter will make his first career start against a tough Titans front that is not that great against the pass but they are still really good at getting into the backfield. Most likely, Vrabel will try to line up Simmons on the right side of the Colts offensive line, for him to have favourable matchups against a struggling Glowinski and a center making his debut as a starter in the NFL. If Simmons can pressure Rivers from the interior, and disrupt the Colts inside runs, then it will be a long game for the offense.
Darius Leonard vs. Ryan Tannehill
With Buckner out, Leonard once again takes the baton as the top player on the Colts’ defense. The Maniac has not been making the same impact on games as he was on his first two seasons, but he is still among the game’s best linebackers and the Colts will need for him to have a breakout game against a red-hot Ryan Tannehill.
T.Y. Hilton vs. His season long slump
T.Y. has not been the same ever since losing his quarterback, but his play has slowly been trending upwards over the last couple of games. For the Colts to have a chance Hilton will have to at least perform as a solid complement to breakout rookie Michael Pittman Jr. Perhaps The Ghost will benefit from the extra attention the rookie will get and manage to make a few plays here and there.
Nyheim Hines vs. Titans Linebackers
Last time against the Titans, it was Hines who carried the Colts to victory, both on the ground and through the air. This week, Tennessee will also be without their top linebacker Jayon Brown who is out for the season, so look for Hines to have yet another big game.
Kemoko Turay vs. Whatever choices the Titans have left at tackle
Kemoko Turay did not play much against the Packers, which was understandable as it was his first game back from the gruesome ankle injury he suffered last season. Against the Titans, and suffering from a depleted defensive line, the Colts will need him to step up and make an impact on whatever snaps he plays. Luckily for him, the Titans have suffered a lot of injuries on the offensive line and will not be at nearly 100%.