Matchups to Watch Revisited: Week 4 vs. Titans

Colts’ Run Defense vs. Derrick Henry (T)

Don’t get fooled by the final rushing numbers, this was a tale of two halves for Derrick Henry. While he got going in the first half, going into halftime with 13 carries for 99 yards (7.6 YPC), Henry was stonewalled in the second half, rushing 9 times for 15 yards. The Colts’ run defense was not its usual self in the first half, but showed why they are among the best units after that. Zaire Franklin continued his breakout season by getting 15 combined tackles, and he was everywhere on the field. E.J. Speed showed flashes, Bobby Okereke is really good, and Grover Stewart has to be among the most disruptive 1-tech defensive linemen this season.

Will Fries vs. Jeffery Simmons (L)

Simmons is a force, a bully on the interior, and he took advantage of a favorable matchup against Will Fries, who was starting in the place of the benched Danny Pinter. Simmons seemed to get pressure on every single passing attempt, and he was the main reason why Jonathan Taylor finished the game with just 42 rushing yards. Simmons is arguably in the top 3 interior defensive linemen discussion, as the only one I can think that is clearly better than him is Aaron Donald.

Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Roger McCreary/Kristian Fulton (L)

The Titans did an amazing job keeping MPJ contained, as the young superstar receiver got just 3 catches for 31 yards. The attention that Pittman was drawing left wide open spaces and favorable matchups for the tight ends, as the group caught all 11 of their targets, for 180 yards and the two touchdowns the Colts had.

Kenny Moore II vs. Robert Woods (W)

Kenny had a solid game against the Titans, after a rough first 3 games to the season. Woods’ wide-open touchdown in the first quarter did not seem to be his fault at all, so take away that, and Woods had just 3 receptions for 23 yards. Ryan Tannehill finished the game with just 137 passing yards, and the Colts managed to hold the Titans to just 243 yards of total offense.

Colts’ Special Teams vs. Titans’ Special Teams (L)

Safe to say the Titans also won this one. Their punter, Ryan Stonehouse (sick name), averaged a whopping 52.8 yards per punt, and kicker Randy Bullock made all 4 of his kicks. As for the Colts, Matt Haack did not have a good day, and kicker Chase McLoughlin missed a 51-yard field goal wide left (missing wide is better than missing short though, right?).

Yannick Ngakoue/Kwity Paye vs. Dennis Daley/Nicholas Petit-Frere (W)

The Colts’ edge rushers had a really good Sunday against the Titans’ tackles. Ngakoue was pressuring Tannehill on what seemed like every single passing play, and Kwity Paye got himself another sack and two quarterback hits. The defense has clearly not been the problem this season, as they are more than doing their part. The problem is that the offense is literally among the worst 3 units in the entire NFL.