While fans get mesmerized by the Kansas City offense dominating the AFC West, the best rivalry in football (Steelers vs. Ravens) in the AFC North, and the apparent demise of the Patriots in the AFC East, what about the other AFC division?
The outcome of the AFC South won't be decided Thursday night when the Titans (6-2) and Colts (5-3) face off in Music City. The winner, however, will have a leg up in a two-team race — and these teams meet again at the end of the month.
Indianapolis, No. 14 in the AP Pro32, is a 2-point underdog at No. 8 Tennessee.
A key for Indianapolis will be slowing down Derrick Henry, and the Colts have a solid run defense. As their star linebacker Darius Leonard notes, every defensive player will be involved in stopping Tennessee's outstanding running back.
"We always talk about hamstring tackles, get him to stop his feet and just gang-tackle him. That's what it's going to take," Leonard says. "To beat this team, you have to stop the run, you have to be seven-plus to the ball, 11-plus to the ball and squeeze, wrap and roll on his hamstrings and just go from there.
"I always joke around with him; I tell him he's a defensive end playing running back," Leonard said. "He's huge. He's about what, 250? 260? The thing with him, which is crazy, I would rather see him between the tackles. He's not that guy between the tackles, that pounder that's going — he's still powerful, but he's more dangerous in space because he's so big. You don't know what he's going to do. He has speed, he has a stiff arm and he has the size to run you over as well."
That's enough for us.
TITANS, 21-17
