To get you ready for Week 17, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts preview.2007 Records:
Tennessee Titans: 9-6 (3rd in AFC South)
Indianapolis Colts: 13-2 (AFC South Champions)
Last Week:
Titans 10, Jets 6.
Colts 38, Texans 15.
Why We Care: Basically, this is the only game in the AFC that has meaningful playoff implications. If Tennessee wins, they're in the playoffs. If they lose, Cleveland goes in their place. Jeff Fisher's team is aided by the fact that the Colts are likely bench their starters after the first quarter ... or are they?
When the Titans have the ball: Vince Young gets all the hype, but lately, LenDale White has been the engine that's running the Titans' offense. He's gotten at least 95 yards in each of the last three games, most of them in grind-it-out fashion. If Bob Sanders isn't going to play much, White could have a big game. Young continues to be erratic in throwing the ball, but he could be pretty solid against the Colts' reserve teamers.
When the Colts have the ball: Peyton Manning is expected to play for a quarter with Marvin Harrison to help the two of them get back in sync on offense, but he'll give way to Jim Sorgi pretty quickly. The most likely recipient of the ball this week could be backup running back Kenton Keith, but he'll have to get around Titans' defensive leader Albert Haynesworth. Keith, however, had 28 carries for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns against a pretty good Tampa Bay defense. That could be an intriguing matchup.
The Edge: The Titans appear to have the obvious edge, given that they're playing for their playoff lives, while the Colts are just going through the motions and working out the backups. I'm reminded, however, of a game like this in Buffalo three years ago. The Bills needed a win to get into the playoffs, while the Pittsburgh Steelers had locked up the top seed in the AFC and played their backups. One of those backups? Some guy named Willie Parker, who had 19 carries for 102 yards to lead the Steelers to victory. I'm not sayin' that Kenton Keith is Willie Parker, but he will have a huge spotlight on him, and he's stepped up for these Colts in the past. Who knows what could happen?
