Colts' Little Guy A Big Problem for Titans

Nyheim Hines has had some of his best days, biggest plays and has scored an inordinate amount of touchdowns against Tennessee.

NASHVILLE – Mike Vrabel did not sugarcoat it when asked about Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines.

“He is always giving us problems,” the Tennessee Titans head coach said this week.

The good news for the Titans as they look ahead to Sunday’s matchup with the Colts at Indianapolis, is that Hines, a 5-foot-9, 196-pound speedster, is not a guy who is always on the field. Thus far in 202, he has played 37 percent of his team’s offensive snaps, which is consistent with the previous three years.

The bad news is that Vrabel can’t seem to stop him when he is on the field. In his last four games against Tennessee, Hines has scored four touchdowns and produced an unlikely number of big plays.

“We know when (Hines) is in the game, more than likely they’re trying to get him the ball,” safety Kevin Byard said. “They might not get him the ball every single play but he’s usually the number-one target.”

The last time the Titans and Colts played, five weeks ago, Hines scored his team’s only touchdown. His 9-yard run early in the second quarter tied the score 7-7. He finished the day with 25 rushing yards on six attempts and caught five passes for 54 yards.

In the last meeting between the teams at Indianapolis, Hines finished as his team’s leading rusher (10 carries, 29 yards) and receiver (eight catches, 66 yards).

His 2-yard touchdown run on Nov. 12, 2020 at Nissan Stadium put the Colts ahead to stay in a game they ultimately won 34-17. In that one, he rushed 12 times for 70 yards and caught five passes for 45 yards and another touchdown, which made it one of two games in his career that he scored on a run and a reception in the same game.

“He is a good player,” Vrabel said. “He is a good returner, punt returner. He is a skilled athlete. He catches the ball easy [and] runs really good routes.”

A rundown of the NFL teams against which Nyheim Hines has scored the most touchdowns:

Opponents	Touchdowns
Tennessee	4
Houston	3
Jacksonville	3
Carolina	2
Detroit	2

In seven games against the Titans, Hines, a fourth-round pick in 2018, has rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries (4.33) and has caught 25 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown. His average per carry versus Tennessee (4.33 yards) is nearly half a yard better than his career average (3.88). His four touchdowns account for one-quarter of his career total in just 13 percent of his total games played (55).

Twice in his career, Hines has rushed for 70 or more yards in a game, and four times he has caught eight or more passes. Once each was against the Titans.

“He is just not a receiving back,” Vrabel said. “They will run their offense with him. They will run the football with him. They find ways, creative ways to get the football to him.”

Maybe this is the time the Titans actually find a way to stop him.