Here are three ways the Colts have proven that they’re better than Tennessee.
The Indianapolis Colts will lock horns with the Tennessee Titans for the second time this season on Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium in a game that carries massive playoff implications, especially in regard to the division race.
Speaking of which, in their last matchup back in Week 10, the Colts put together arguably their most complete performance of the 2020 campaign in a convincing 34-17 victory on the road.
Though both teams shared identical records after that game, the win gave Indianapolis a slight advantage in the AFC South and they haven’t looked back since, notching perhaps a more impressive win over the Green Bay Packers in overtime last weekend after trailing by two scores at halftime.
AFC playoff picture after 11 weeks:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 23, 2020
1) #Steelers: 10-0
2) #Chiefs: 9-1
3) #Bills: 7-3
4) #Colts: 7-3
5) #Titans: 7-3
6) #Browns: 7-3
7: #Raiders: 6-4
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Baltimore, Miami, Denver, New England
Ironically enough, Tennessee is also fresh off an overtime win, as they toppled Baltimore after trailing by as many as eight points entering the fourth quarter to keep pace with the Colts. With that in mind, it’s pretty clear that the AFC South rivals have been on similar trajectories this season, and there hasn’t been much to separate them through 10 games.
However, when you take the entire sample size into consideration, we would assert with confidence that Indianapolis has established themselves as the more complete team, and here are three reasons that back that assertion.
3. Competent Special Teams
The Colts have an impressive special teams unit.
The importance of boasting a stable special teams unit is always overlooked until a member of the group commits a costly error that swings the momentum of a game. That was precisely the case in the Colts’ previous date with the Titans in Week 10.
In befuddling fashion, those flaws came back to haunt Tennessee on two separate occasions in that meeting, which almost never happens. One punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown, and another was shanked and set Indianapolis up with a short field, which they would ultimately capitalize on in the form of a Nyheim Hines two-yard TD scamper.
As debilitating as that issue is for the Titans, however, their kicking game has been just as suspect this season, as veteran Stephen Gostkowski is converting on just 65.2% of his field goal attempts. For those wondering, that percentage ranks dead last in the NFL among qualified kickers.
The same simply cannot be said for the Colts. Undrafted rookie Rodrigo Blankenship has been nearly automatic, drilling 88.5% of his field goal tries and an equally-impressive 92.6% of his point after attempts. Rigoberto Sanchez has also been solid for Indy, averaging a respectable 46.5 yards per punt. Just one of his 26 punts have been blocked thus far.
Special teams matters, folks, and the Colts’ unit is vastly superior to that of Tennessee in every aspect.