Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports
No Game, No Change in Standings
The Tennessee Titans stepped away from competition for a week but held their ground.
Following their open date, the Titans are still alone in first place atop the AFC South at 3-2.
Their two closest pursuers, the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars met on Sunday, and the Colts won 34-27. Matt Ryan’s 17-yard touchdown pass and a subsequent two-point conversion with 17 seconds remaining provided the difference in a contest in which Jacksonville never trailed until early in the fourth quarter.
As a result, Tennessee is a few percentage points up on Indianapolis (3-2-1) by virtue of the Colts’ Week 1 tie with Houston. Jacksonville, which won two of its first three, lost for the third straight week and fell to 2-4. Houston, which also was off on Sunday, brings up the rear at 1-3-1.
Tennessee and Indianapolis will complete their season series next Sunday at Nissan Stadium (noon, CDT). The Titans are early 2 1/2-point favorites in that one.
“About two weeks ago, as a coaching staff, we said we knew the Jacksonville game was coming up and we were just talking about stuff and we kind of earmarked this game to give it a shot, try to create some momentum with it,” Colts coach Frank Reich said Sunday. “… I mean, obviously, it's an understatement to say it was important in a lot of ways.”
The Titans have played the fewest intra-division games among the AFC South teams. Their Week 4 victory at Indianapolis is their only one thus far, which means that five of their final 12 contests will be against the Colts, Jaguars and Texans. That is plenty of opportunity to protect their position.
After traveling to Nashville next week, Indianapolis won’t see another AFC South team until the final week of the regular season (Houston). The Colts’ open date won’t come until Dec. 11 (Week 14).
The Jaguars will get their break on Nov. 20 (Week 11). Both matchups with the Titans will come after that capped by a Week 18 meeting in Jacksonville.
“We keep talking about it's about us, and focusing on our jobs and what we do, players and coaches,” Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson said. “We're all in this thing together. … One thing I like about this team is there is no quit in these guys. They battle for 60 minutes. They don't shut it down at all. They play hard. They play fast.
“Like I told them after the game, we're going to end up – whenever that is, whether it's through time or what – we're going to come out ahead on most of these as we go.”
In terms of the standings, right now they are behind the Titans – as are the other two teams in the division.
