Know Thy Enemy: Intel On Colts vs. Titans

The Indianapolis Colts' (2-3) two-game win streak snapped last week after a disappointing road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, things aren't as dire as they are for this week's opponent, the winless Tennessee Titans (0-5).

The tone of this Sunday's game is urgent. For the Colts, they have to get back on track with a win over a team they have no business losing to. The Titans, however, likely view this as one of the more winnable remaining games on their schedule.

Is the inconsistent Colts defense exactly what quarterback Cam Ward and the Titans need to put something in the win column?

This week, ColtsRoundtable and Sam Phalen of TitansRoundtable swapped questions to learn more about each side entering Sunday's matchup.

Here are the questions CR had about the Titans:

Jake Arthur: At 0-5, obviously, things are not going well for the Titans. Cam Ward seems to be getting a lot of heat; how much of the blame should he shoulder?

Sam Phalen: It’s hard not to place the lion’s share of the blame on Cam Ward’s shoulders at this point. He’s had different head coaches, different play callers, and the team spent money on several key offensive positions in the offseason to help him succeed.

The main point of concern isn’t necessarily his play, but rather the lack of progress. Ward has taken a step backward from his rookie campaign in 2025, and the offense is reaching indefensible levels of inefficiency for a team led by a former No. 1 overall pick.

JA: How does the rookie class look so far? Carnell Tate and Anthony Hill Jr. are a couple of standouts who have received some attention.

SP: If there’s one positive for Titans fans through the first five weeks of the 2026 season, it’s the play of their rookies.

Carnell Tate’s production has been hot and cold, largely due to the offense he plays in, but he’s already shown the ability to be a leading receiver in this offense. His 145-yard performance in a Week 4 loss to the Ravens was a perfect example of his potential.

Anthony Hill Jr., meanwhile, has recorded 47 tackles through five weeks, the sixth-most in football. He’s also been surprisingly serviceable in coverage, which was one of the biggest knocks on his game coming out of college.

JA: When you see national coverage of the Titans, what's the most common misconception you see?

SP: Tennessee’s organizational issues start at the top. The attention nationally will always go to the head coach, quarterback, and general manager, but Amy Adams Strunk has made nearly every wrong decision over the last five years.

Under her leadership, the Titans have gone from a perennial playoff contender to one of the worst-run organizations in professional sports. Until there’s more accountability at the ownership level, I’m not convinced that changing coaches, quarterbacks, or general managers will solve the underlying problems.

JA: Who's a player or two who are highly important to what the Titans want to do, but fly under the radar?

SP: John Franklin-Myers received a $63 million contract from the Titans this offseason, with Robert Saleh envisioning a dynamic duo between Franklin-Myers and Jeffery Simmons on the defensive front. It’s the kind of tandem that can anchor Saleh’s entire defensive scheme.

Franklin-Myers has 1.5 sacks on the season and should be on track to play against the Colts on Sunday. While Simmons gets most of the national attention, Franklin-Myers is a key cog in making Tennessee’s defense function the way Saleh envisioned.

JA: When you compare the Colts and Titans, what is the most significant area where you give the Colts an advantage?

SP: The Titans have really struggled with time of possession this season. The Colts, on the other hand, have an offense that consistently sustains drives, averaging 24.8 points per game and more than 31 minutes of possession.

If Indianapolis can lean on Tennessee’s defense and control the clock, it will limit the number of possessions for an already inefficient Titans offense.

Tennessee has struggled to establish any offensive momentum in the first half of games this season, and I think that’s something the Colts can exploit on Sunday. The longer Indianapolis can keep Cam Ward and the Titans offense on the sidelines, the more difficult it becomes for Tennessee to find a rhythm and stay competitive.