This is a key battle in the AFC South Division. The Colts rolled in their season opener 41-10 over the Saints while the Titans stunned the Jaguars 13-10 in Jacksonville. The Titans and Colts split games last season with each team winning on their own turf. The Titans beat the Colts last season in Tennessee by pushing the Colts around as they rushed for 219 yards. The Titans will try to run the football and control the clock against the Colts. They ran the ball 49 times for 282 yards (5.8 ypc) last week against the Jaguars are they held onto the football for 36:55 of the football game! Look for Chris Brown (175 yards, 9.2 ypc) and LenDale White (66 yards rushing) to provide the muscle behind a solid offensive line. QB Vince Young will also take off as he rushed for 22 yards and had a TD run last week. If the Colts can’t stop the running game of the Titans it could be a long day for them this Sunday.Â

The Colts will likely come out throwing the ball against the Titans to try to get a quick lead and take the Titans out of their game plan. Peyton Manning was excellent as always against the Saints last week as he completed 18 of 30 passes for 288 yards with 3 TDs and 0 pickoffs. Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison will cause huge match up problems for the Titans corners who will likely need help from the safeties. That might not be easy for the Titans to do because TE Dallas Clark and WR Anthony Gonzalez could be lining up in the slot. And if the Titans defense didn’t already have enough to worry about don’t forget 2nd year running back Joseph Addai who had 143 combined yards rushing and receiving last week (he also scored a TD).

PREDICTION: This will be a close football game but I have to side with the Colts by a field goal in this one. I wouldn’t be surprised though if the Titans pulled an upset here because they play the Colts tough and they are the more physical team.

The Titans have acquired DE Bryce Fisher from the Seahawks for an undisclosed draft pick. Fisher will give the Titans a good backup who can rush the passer. Fisher has played in 81 games (48 starts) in his NFL career and he has made 217 tackles, has 26.5 sacks and he has defensed 11 passes.

It’s amazing that the Titans pushed around the Jaguars defense so bad in the running game. QB Vince Young didn’t play too well but the Titans won and that’s the bottom line. Young completed 11 of 18 passes for 78 yards with 1 interception. He also carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards (2.0 ypc) with 1 TD run. Chris Brown had an awesome game off the bench carrying the football 19 times for 175 yards (9.2 ypc). LenDale White also had a decent game with 18 carries for 66 yards (3.7 ypc). The Titans finished with an amazing 282 yards rushing on 49 carries (5.8 ypc). But, they only completed 11 of 18 passes for 68 yards. The Titans controlled the football for an unbelievable 36:55 of the game.

The defense played pretty well for Titans. CB Nick Harper led the way with 6 tackles for the Titans. The Titans held the high powered running attack of the Jaguars to 72 yards rushing on 18 carries (4.0 ypc). The Jags also completed 17 of 30 passes for 200 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270909030

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The Titans got better quick last season behind QB Vince Young. Don’t expect miracles this season as the Titans did nothing to help the offense in the off-season. They also let RB Travis Henry leave to Denver as a free agent. The Titans defense also doesn’t look too great for 2007. So, I’m betting the under.

This looks to be a tough matchup for the Titans as the Jaguars complete starting defense is healthy and hungry. The Titans would love to run the football with LenDale White, Chris Brown, Chris Henry and QB Vince Young but that will be easier said than done against DTs John Henderson, Marcus Stroud and MLB Mike Peterson. OLBs Daryl Smith and Clint Ingram must contain the outside on running plays and they will likely be up to the task. DEs Bobby McCray and Reggie Hayward are going to be bringing the heat on Vince Young when he drops back so he better be ready to run. WRs Brandon Jones and Eric Moulds will battle playmaking CBs Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams and that’s also an advantage for the Jags. Vince Young likes to throw to his TEs so Bo Scaife could be a big part of the gameplan as he takes on safeties Gerald Sensabaugh and rookie Reggie Nelson.

The Titans must have DT Albert Haynesworth focused for this game because the Jags are likely going to attack the middle of the field in the running game with Maurice Drew and Fred Taylor. Both Drew and Taylor along with QB David Garrard will also challenge the defense to the corner so OLBs David Thornton and Keith Bulluck must contain the outside and they are both very capable of doing that. David Garrard must know when LE Kyle VandenBosch is coming from at all times because he’s good enough to force him into mistakes with the football. The Jags really need one of their WRs to step up in this football game. Dennis Northcutt, Matt Jones, Ernest Wilford and Reggie Williams need to start earning their paychecks. Garrard must be careful when throwing the football down the field as rookie CB Michael Griffin, CB Nick Harper and SS Chris Hope are all playmakers in the Titans’ secondary. One area the Jags might attack is the middle of the field with TE Mercedes Lewis matched up with FS Calvin Lowry who is making his first NFL start.

The Titans must be careful when kicking the football to the Jaguars because KR Maurice Drew and PR Dennis Northcutt can take any kick to the house. Also keep an eye on Jags punter Adam Podlesh who is starting his first NFL game.

PREDICTION: The Jaguars are healthy and ready to make a statement in week #1. This will be a blowout in favor of Jacksonville.