Colts vs. Titans: NFL Week 3 betting odds, preview, and pick
The 0-2 Indianapolis Colts look to collect their first win of the season when they visit their division rival, the 1-1 Tennessee Titans, at Nissan Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Wentz's injury status could spell doom for Indy
After two games at home, inside Lucas Oil Stadium, Indy failed to pick up a win against a pair of NFC West powerhouses.
In Week 1 against Seattle, both the defense and offensive line were issues for the Colts, who fell 28-16 to Russell Wilson & Co.
Week 2's meeting with the Los Angeles Rams was much closer, but ended on a sour note, when Colts quarterback Carson Wentz left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
#Colts QB Carson Wentz is dealing with injuries to not just one ankle, but both ankles sources say. He’s having tests today to determine the severity of his sprains suffered yesterday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 20, 2021
Wentz, who had offseason surgery to repair his left foot, sprained his left ankle earlier in the game but was able to play through the pain. He later sprained his right ankle and was forced to the sideline.
Wentz's replacement, Jacob Eason, struggled out of the gate. With Indy down three points, with less than three minutes remaining, Eason was intercepted by Jalen Ramsey on his second pass, which ended Indy's hopes of a victory.
Head coach Frank Reich has yet to disclose whether Wentz will be available Sunday. If he's not, Eason doesn't appear to be the answer in Indy, and rookie Sam Ehlinger is sidelined with a sprained knee for the next few weeks.
Derrick Henry carries Tennessee to come-from-behind win
Tennessee dropped its first game against the NFC West in Week 1, in a lopsided 38-13 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals.
MVP candidate Kyler Murray accounted for five scores, while 2020 Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry was held to just 58 yards on 17 carries.
In Week 2, Henry finally broke free to lead the Titans to a comeback win in front of Seattle's raucous home crowd.
Despite trailing 30-16 in the fourth quarter, Tennessee handed the ball to the bruising back, who unleashed a 60-yard touchdown run to make it a one-possession game.
DERRICK HENRY GOES 60 YARDS FOR THE TD ⚔️
— ESPN (@espn) September 19, 2021
(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/eFHutZVJ9j
Henry again answered with a one-yard rushing touchdown to force overtime, where the Titans won it, 33-30, with a field goal.
Henry finished with 182 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries and hauled in a career-high six catches for 55 yards.
Another player who broke out on Sunday was offseason acquisition Julio Jones. The veteran wideout recorded the 59th 100-yard game of his career, with 128 yards on six receptions.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans injury report
Indianapolis Colts | Tennessee Titans |
---|
QB Carson Wentz: Questionable (ankle) | OT Taylor Lewan: Questionable (knee) |
DE Kemoko Turay: Questionable (groin) | TE Anthony Firkser: Questionable (knee) |
CB Xavier Rhodes: Questionable (calf) | ILB Jayon Brown: Questionable (hamstring) |
T Braden Smith: Questionable (foot) | CB Caleb Farley: Questionable (shoulder) |
WR Parris Campbell: Questionable (abdominal) | OG Roger Saffold: Questionable (shoulder) |
WR T.Y. Hilton: Questionable (neck) | DB Maurice Smith: Questionable (undisclosed) |
Colts and Titans betting trends
- Indianapolis is 5-1 ATS in its last six road games
- Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in its last five home games
- The Over is 5-2 in the Colts' last seven games as an underdog
- The Over is 6-1 in the Titans' last seven games vs. the AFC South
- The Colts are 14-5 ATS in their last 19 meetings
Henry will expose Colts defense
Indy gave up 140 rushing yards to Seattle and 101 to Los Angeles, who are a bit short-staffed at the running back position, at the moment. Henry is an entirely different type of beast in the run game and should find plenty of open lanes against the Colts defense, which ranks 18th in rushing yards allowed (120.5).
With the emergence of Jones in Week 2, Indy will also need to respect Ryan Tannehill and Tennessee's passing game.
This contest could get out of hand quickly, especially if Wentz is ruled out.
Neither team's defense is good in the red zone, but Indianapolis' offense has been one of the worst in the league at converting from within the 20-yard line.
With all of the injuries working against the team, it's difficult to see how the Colts pull out their first win in a hostile division matchup on the road.
Score prediction: Titans 31, Colts 24
Week 3 NFL pick: Over 48
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