Can the Indianapolis Colts Outscore the Titans in Week 8?

The Indianapolis Colts appeared to be dead in the water after losing their first three games of the season this year. Carson Wentz looked like a gamble gone wrong, Jonathan Taylor wasn’t running the ball, and even the defense – which has long been their strength – was a disaster. But Head Coach Frank Reich has righted the ship, and the surging Colts are now right in the thick of things in the AFC South after winning their last two games.

They’ll be in for a tough challenge in Week 8 as the hot 5-2 Titans come to town for a pivotal mid-season matchup. Can Indy continue its solid play and tame the Titans? Or will Derrick Henry bulldoze his way to a fourth straight victory for Tennessee? The current NFL betting lines have the Colts as a -1 favorite heading into Sunday. So let’s break down what we can expect in this one.

The Colts Are Flying High

Since Week 4, the Colts have been averaging over 28 points per game on offense. After stumbling out of the gate, the Colts look like a new team with a healthy Carson Wentz and an imposing run game.

Indianapolis is coming off an impressive primetime victory in the San Francisco monsoon game when they proved that dome teams could win in sloppy and unfavorable conditions. Even in a game where everyone struggled to grip the ball, the Colts still put up 31 points.

Jonathan Taylor is second in the NFL in rushing yards with 579, and Carson Wentz has a league-best touchdown to interception ratio.

Michael Pittman Has Been a Bright Spot

The Colts’ receiving corps has been depleted most of the season, with the oft-injured T.Y. Hilton contributing just four receptions and fellow wideout Parris Campbell likely out for the year with a foot injury. In their absence, 2020 second-round pick Michael Pittman has shouldered the load and established himself as Wentz’s go-to guy.

Pittman has racked up 35 receptions and 508 yards through seven games and is on pace to go well over the 1000-yard mark. The Colts will need him to continue his strong play in Week 8 if they want to match the Titans’ high-powered offense.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans

The Titans downed the Colts in Week 3 in a lackluster effort that saw Indy put up under 300 yards of total offense. Since then, a lot has changed, and the Colts will seek revenge in this critical divisional contest with serious playoff implications. The Colts have dominated the all-time series, but you can toss that aside this week with these evenly matched teams.

If the Colts want to win, they will need to take advantage of Tennessee’s 24th ranked pass defense and throw the ball down the field. In addition, they’ll need someone to step up to complement Michael Pittman, whether that be WR Zach Pascal or TE Moe Alie-Cox.

Points Will Be Scored

These teams are firing on all cylinders right now, so I expect this to be a high-scoring affair. Unlike last week for the Colts, the weather won’t be an issue at home in the dome, so both offenses should be able to hum. This should be a back-and-forth game that will come down to the final bell.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see both teams scoring close to 30 or more points, making the Indianapolis Colts an excellent pick for this week’s King of the Weekend Promo. Check out BetMGM’s sportsbook for more details, as well as all of your online betting needs for this weekend’s action.