Colts’ Matchup to Watch Revisited: Week 5 vs. Titans

Will Fries / Ryan Kelly vs. Jeffery Simmons

Simmons will always get his, as it is impossible to completely erase elite caliber players like him. But what you can do is limit the overall impact they have during the game, and the Colts did manage to exactly that. Simmons finished the game with just five hurries, and three combined tackles. That is a win in my books.

Jonathan Taylor / Anthony Richardson vs. Titans’ running defense

Well I understimated the impact Zack Moss would have on this game by a tiny bit. In the end it was not Taylor who carried the load on Sunday, as Moss exploded for 190 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The Titans’ run defense was just no match, as the Colts just ran the ball at will and based their victory on the ground.

Gus Bradley vs. Ryan Tannehill

The Colts know the deal with Ryan Tannehill by now, and his play has been consistently regressing over the past couple of seasons. The first step to containing Tanehill is to take away the play action from him by keeping Henry in check. Once you manage to do that the rest is not that difficult. While the Titans’ quarterback did manage to connect with DeAndre Hopkins several times throughout the game, their offense scored just 16 points, and were stopped on their tracks when it mattered the most.

DeForest Buckner vs. Aaron Brewer

Buckner took advantage of the relatively easy matchup on his hands against a Titans’ interior offensive line that is not nearly as dominant as it was before in the past, registering seven total pressures and two stops in the running game. Buckner is an elite player, and his consistency and disruptiveness on the defensive line is the biggest reason the Colts’ defense is playing like it is.

Colts’ offensive line vs. Denico Autry

Finally I don’t have to write about how Autry was Ballard’s worst mistake and how he always punishes us and blah blah blah. For the first time Autry has been kept quiet, as the veteran defensive end racked up just 3 pressures and no stops in the running game.