The Indianapolis Colts struggled to get stops in Week 5. They held onto a three-point lead for less than 30 seconds before a Bryce Boettcher whiffed tackle left the door wide open for a Jaylen Warren 80-yard catch-and-run.
All in all, Lou Anarumo's defense gave up 352 total yards, only sacked Aaron Rodgers once, and gave up two fourth-down conversions. It wasn't an encouraging performance against a team that ranked right in the middle of the pack in every offensive category.
Fortunately for them, they'll now face the absolute worst offense in pro football. With Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans in town, there's no more room for excuses; it's time to get the job done and not only win, but dominate.
The Indianpolis Colts' defense must dominate Cam Ward's Titans
Cam Ward didn't find much success in his first two meetings with the Colts. In two games, he threw for 478 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions with a 75.4 passer rating, and the Colts outscored the Titans 79-34.
Giving him a new set of weapons and a savvy offensive coordinator like Brian Daboll didn't do much to help his case. Over five weeks, the 0-5 Titans rank dead last in points per game (11.6) and total yards per game (261.8). They have only scored more than one touchdown once this season, and they didn't come even close to scoring one against the Houston Texans.
Ward looks overwhelmed in every dropback. He's running around with no purpose, scrambling to escape pressure, not because it's the right thing to do, and his decision-making has been borderline atrocious at times. On top of that, all receivers not named Carnell Tate have struggled to create separation.
The Colts have given Anarumo almost everything he's asked for. They've signed his former guys and drafted mostly defensive players, including a second-round pick who has barely taken the field this season.
He may have been in the hot seat to start the year after a disappointing campaign last season. And besides the impressive play by DeForest Buckner and Adetomiwa Adebawore, there has been nothing particularly special about this Colts' defense, either.
According to Sumer Sports, the Colts rank 27th in defensive EPA/play (0.05), 26th in success rate (46.1 percent), and dead last in EPA per rush (0.06). They've faced two top-ten offenses, but that's still not good enough.
The Titans are, by most measures, the worst team in football. Winning teams don't pull punches when going against someone below their weight class, and that's exactly what the Colts must do to get some momentum going in Week 6, especially in a divisional game.
Sometimes, a blowout win is the motivational boost and catalyst that can finally help a team turn things around. And for a team that hasn't looked convincing even in the wins, Sunday's matchup can't come soon enough.
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