Colts vs. Titans: Top 3 things to watch for
By Ryan Stano
As important as it is for the Colts to stop the run on defense, they have to establish the run on offense. Last week, Marlon Mack was phenomenal. He ran for a career high 174 yards on 25 carries. He really couldn’t be stopped the entire game.
That is the right amount of carries for Mack. Anywhere between 22-25 carries for him on a given day is exactly where they should be, especially if he is going to be that effective with them. Mack needs to get a steady dose of the ball to open up the play-action pass.
The offensive line really stepped up their game a week ago. They had looked paltry in the preseason and didn’t open up any gaps in the running game. The exact opposite was true in LA, and they were doing whatever they wanted to the Chargers’ defensive line.
They need to have that same sort of effort this Sunday. The Titans are a team that’s built on defense. They smothered up the Browns’ running game last week and forced them to throw. That’s what they want to do to every opponent they face.
Indy can’t let that happen. They have to stay committed to the run and keep opening up gaps for running backs. Doing that will allow them to move the ball consistently and effectively. And it will allow a better passing effort from Brissett as well.
The last thing I’m looking for is more of a mental response from one of the Colts’ best overall players.