The Tennessee Titans got ambushed in Indianapolis today by an inspired Colts team.  Matt Hasselbeck had a rough day as he completed 27 of 40 passes for 223 yards with 0 TD passes and 2 INTs (one of which was returned 32 yards for a TD by Colts’ CB Jacob Lacey).  Jake Locker tried to bring the Titans back, but to no avail.  He completed 11 of 16 passes for 108 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 1 time for 9 yards.  Chris Johnson led the way on the ground for the Titans in this game with 55 yards rushing on 15 carries (3.7 ypc) and he also caught 8 passes for 54 yards (6.8 avg).  TE Jared Cook (9 rec, 103 yards), WR Lavelle Hawkins (8 rec, 88 yards) and WR Nate Washington (7 rec, 62 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game today.  The Titans finished up with 66 yards rushing on 19 carries (3.5 ypc) and they also completed 38 of 56 passes (67.9%) for 322 yards as they had possession of the ball for 31:57.

The Titans got pushed around by the Colts, who ran the ball all over them today.  DE Dave Ball (6 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss) and LB Colin McCarthy (6 tackles) led the way for the Titans on D in this game.  Safety Chris Hope pitched in with 2 tackles and 1 fumble recovery in this game for the Titans.  The Colts rushed for 205 yards on 34 carries (6.0 ypc) and they also completed 11 of 17 passes (64.7%) for 82 yards.  The Titans are now 7-7 on the year, but this loss is going to sting for a while.

This is a big game for the Titans as they are still very alive in the playoff hunt.  They beat the Colts 27-10 in the first meeting between these two teams in Tennessee.  The Colts have played  a little better since their bye week, three weeks ago, but they still have not won a game this year.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Titans have the ball:  The Titans are likely going to give the ball a lot to Chris Johnson in this game.  The Colts are giving up 144.3 yards rushing per game and they are allowing 4.1 yards per carry.  The QB situation is still up in the air as Matt Hasselbeck will start if he’s healthy, if not, Jake Locker will be making his first NFL start this weekend.  Either way, the Titans are likely go have a solid passing game this weekend.  Look for the Titans’ QB to spread the ball around to Nate Washington, Damian Williams, Lavelle Hawkins and TE Jared Cook against a Colts’ D that is giving up 240.5 yards passing per game so far this year.  Opposing QBs have a 108.7 Rating against the Colts so far this year.

When the Colts have the ball:  The Colts are going to try to be balanced on offense in this game.  The Titans’ front seven should be able to handle stopping RBs Donald Brown, Joseph Addai and Delone Carter.  The Titans are going to have to get after Dan Orlovsky as the Colts’ offense has looked better with him under center.  Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne are solid WRs, who can get down the field, so the secondary is going to have to step up this Sunday…..and I think they will.

PREDICTION:  TITANS 24, COLTS 13

The Titans have lost 28-year old safety Anthony Smith for the rest of the season due to a groin injury as he has been placed on the Injured Reserve List.  Smith played in 13 games for the Titans last year and he had 11 tackles and 2 passes defensed.  He has now played in 76 games in his NFL career and he has 176 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 7 interceptions and 18 passes defensed.  This isn’t much of a loss for the Titans.

The Titans are playing the Indianapolis Colts on the road this weekend in a “must win” game.  Matt Hasselbeck injured his calf last weekend and rookie Jake Locker played most of the game.  This is a perfect spot to give Jake Locker his first NFL start, as long as Hasselbeck isn’t healthy enough to go.  Locker has played in 4 games for the Titans so far this year and he has completed 23 of 50 passes (46%) for 434 yards with 3 TD passes and 0 INTs (96.6 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 7 times for 47 yards (6.7 ypc) with 1 TD run so far this year.  Locker has a stronger arm and he’s a much better runner than Hasselbeck, but Hasselbeck still has the experience edge.  Hasselbeck has been solid this year.  The 36-year old QB has completed 246 of 403 passes (61%) for 2,701 yards with 15 TD passes and 10 INTs (82.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 13 times for 52 yards (4.0 ypc) so far this year.  No matter which QB lines up under center this weekend, they will have a good matchup against the Colts.

The Titans have decided to place 28-year old LB Barrett Ruud on the Injured Reserve List due to a groin injury.  Ruud played in 9 games for the Titans this year and he had 57 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 3 passes defensed and 1 interception.  He has now played in 104 games in his first seven years in the NFL and he has 642 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 23 passes defensed and 7 interceptions.  The Titans are going to let Ruud walk in free agency.

The Titans have lost 24-year old RB Javon Ringer for the rest of the year due to a fractured hand.  Ringer played in 12 games for the Titans this year and he carried the ball 59 times for 185 yards (3.1 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also has caught 28 passes for 187 yards (6.7 avg) this year.  Ringer has now played in 35 games in his first three years with the Titans and he has carried the ball 118 times for 472 yards (4.0 ypc) with 3 TD grabs.  He has also caught 35 passes for 231 yards (6.6 avg) so far in his career.  22-year old rookie RB Jamie Harper will replace Javon Ringer as Chris Johnson’s top backup in the Titans’ last three games.

The Titans played hard yesterday, but just not good enough to beat the Saints.  Matt Hasselbeck started at QB for the Titans yesterday and he completed 5 of 7 passes for 44 yards before leaving the game with a calf injury.  Rookie Jake Locker finished up the game and he was excellent for the most part.  He completed 13 of 29 passes for 282 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 6 times for 36 yards (6.0 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Chris Johnson had a rough game with 23 yards rushing on 11 carries (2.1 ypc), but he also caught 5 passes for 43 yards (8.6 avg) in this game.  WR Nate Washington led the way in the passing game for the Titans yesterday with 6 grabs for 130 yards (21.7 avg) with 1 TD grab.  WRs Damian Williams (2 rec, 62 yards) and Lavelle Hawkins (3 rec, 49 yards) also had solid games for the Titans yesterday.  The Titans finished up with 59 yards rushing on 17 carries (3.5 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 36 passes (50%) for 314 yards as they had possession of the ball for only 22:27.

The defense didn’t give up a lot of points yesterday, but they had big time issues getting off the field.  CBs Alterraun Verner (11 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) and Cortland Finnegan (9 tackles and 1 pass defensed) led the way for the Titans on D in this game.  LB Will Witherspoon pitched in with 8 tackles in this game.  The Saints finished up with 114 yards on 26 carries (4.4 ypc) and they also completed 36 of 47 passes (76.6%) for 323 yards in this game.  The Titans are now 7-6 on the season.

The Titans have won two games in a row now and they are in the thick of the AFC South and wildcard chases, so this is a HUGE game for them.  The Saints have won four games in a row, but they are a different team on the road.  They are only 3-3 on the road this year, where they have been outscored 159-154!  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Titans have the ball:  The Titans are going to have to run the ball and play keepaway if they are going to beat the Saints this Sunday.  Chris Johnson is on a serious roll as of late and the Saints are giving up 114.6 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry, so he should have a good game.  If Johnson is effective, so will QB Matt Hasselbeck, using play action passes to attack the Saints’ secondary down the field.  The Saints are giving up 264.2 yards passing per game so far this year, so WRs Nate Washington, Lavelle Hawkins and Damian Williams should be able to make some plays this Sunday.

When the Saints have the ball:  The Titans must find ways to slow Drew Brees down a little bit this Sunday.  The Titans will likely blitz a little more than usual in an attempt to get Brees to rush the football.  It won’t be easy though as the Saints have an outstanding WRing corps that is deep.  He likes to spread the ball around, making things really tough on opposing secondaries.  TE Jimmy Graham and RB Darren Sproles are also huge weapons in the passing game, putting a lot of pressure on LBs and safeties.  The Saints also have a solid three headed monster at RB as Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas give them a spark when needed.

PREDICTION:  SAINTS 27, TITANS 24

The Titans are getting solid work out of 22-year old Akeem Ayers and 23-year old Colin McCarthy so far this year.  Ayers has played in 12 games for the Titans so far this year and he has 53 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed.  McCarthy has played in 9 games for the Titans so far this year and he has 42 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception.  The Titans’ are playing better defense than most “experts” thought they would and Ayers & McCarthy are a big part of that.

The Titans got back to running the ball again today and Chris Johnson was again a huge reason for the win today.  Chris Johnson carried the ball 23 times for 153 yards (6.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs in this game for the Titans.  Matt Hasselbeck was in game manager mode as he completed 16 of 25 passes for 140 yards without a TD pass or INT.  Javon Ringer pitched in with 5 carries for 21 yards (4.2 ypc) today when Chris Johnson needed a break.  WRs Damian Williams (4 rec, 62 yards) and Nate Washington (4 rec, 40 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Titans.  The Titans finished up with 187 yards rushing on 31 carries (6.0 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 25 passes (64%) for 130 yards in this game as they had possession of the ball for 28:14.

The defense played well enough when it had to for the Titans to win today.  LB Colin McCarthy led the way for the Titans on D in this game with 9 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 2 fumble recoveries.  CB Cortland Finnegan (7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 pass defensed) and safety Michael Griffin (6 tackles) also had solid games for the Titans today.  The Bills finished up with 97 yards rushing on 23 carries (4.2 ypc) and they also completed 29 of 46 passes (63%) for 282 yards.  The Titans are right in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC with a 7-5 record.