Colts at Titans betting preview: Indianapolis visits Tennessee as underdogs in crucial AFC South meeting

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Indianapolis Colts' Deon Jackson celebrates after running for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Indianapolis.(AP Photo/AJ Mast)

The Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1) and Tennessee Titans (3-2) are somehow already gearing up for their second and final meeting of the regular season. And this one could have major implications on the AFC South race.

Coming off back-to-back division crowns, the Titans are once again back on top of the AFC South. They have won three games in a row since starting the year 0-2 and are fresh off a bye entering Sunday’s showdown at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Titans secured a 24-17 road victory over the Colts back in Week 4 and are favored to win the rematch. They led by a 24-3 margin at one point in that meeting before surrendering a pair of scores to the Colts. Running back Derrick Henry paced the Titans with 114 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.

As for the visitors, the Colts come in with a bit of momentum following a 34-27 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Matt Ryan linked up with Alec Pierce for a 32-yard connection on the game-winning score with 17 seconds remaining. The Colts have now won back-to-back games and three of their past four contests.

Caesars Sportsbook lists the Titans as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5 points.

Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans

Time/TV: 1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS

Point spread (from Caesars Sportsbook): Titans -2.5

Money line: Colts +118, Titans -140

Over/under: 42.5

Analysis: This line opened as a 2-point spread, but has been trending in the Titans’ direction ever since. ESPN’s Football Power Index considers this game to be a toss-up, giving the Titans a 50.1% chance of winning Sunday’s game.

That is the way these division matchups should be, especially when the two teams are considered strong contenders for the AFC South crown. The Colts were the preseason favorite to win this division, so this is a game they need to win if they hope to live up to those expectations.

Mike Vrabel’s Titans will have to generate pressure against Ryan, who was not sacked once while throwing the ball 58 times in last week’s win over the Jaguars. The Titans will also need to have success on the ground, similar to how they did the last time these two teams met.

While it is too early to claim this division race is over, the Titans can certainly create some cushion from their rivals with a strong performance off the bye week.

Prediction: Titans 23, Colts 20

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