Titans looking for some help as they sit out Week 5

The bad news for the Tennessee Titans is the fact that they own a 1-3 record, one of six teams in the AFC below .500 after four games. The good news is that the club takes a 31-12 win over the Miami Dolphins into their off-week, and is actually not in the divisional basement. As the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars take the field on Sunday, it will be interesting to see how each fare and if the Titans wind up benefiting from the results.

The Texans, Colts, and Jaguars face big challenges this week

There’s a huge clash in the Lone Star State on Sunday between first-place clubs as the Texans host the Bills. Both teams sport 3-1 records, however each has shown some vulnerability. That certainly applies to DeMeco Ryans’s club. Houston’s three victories over the Colts, Bears, and Jaguars have come by a combined 12 points. On the other hand, the Texans were in the Twin Cities in Week 3 and the Vikings made a statement by rolling the reigning AFC South champions, 34-7. It’s safe to say that Ryans’s team has yet to hit its stride.

Meanwhile, Buffalo had zero problem putting points on the board in their first three games this year. They vanquished the Cardinals, Dolphins, and Jaguars by a combined 112-48 count. Then came last Sunday’s clash with the Ravens, and Sean McDermott’s club wasn’t ready to this primetime showdown. The Bills’ defense had no answers for workhorse Derrick Henry and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in a 35-10 loss. While McDermott’s team comes into this clash a little banged up, it is certainly capable of pulling off a victory here.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis has won their last two games following a winless start. They head south to take on the league’s lone winless team at Jacksonville. Shane Steichen’s squad will be without running back Jonathan Taylor. Quarterback Anthony Richardson remains questionable, so veteran Joe Flacco could get his first start of 2024. He was solid in last week’s relief appearance vs. the Steelers.

The Colts are looking to end a bizarre skid. Including a game in London eight years ago, Indianapolis has dropped nine consecutive road games in this series dating back to ’16. A loss to the Jaguars would drop Steichen’s team to 2-3, including a 0-2 mark in the division.

The Texans are the only team in the AFC South not to face one its division rivals this season, and two of their three losses are vs. NFC clubs. That changes in Week 6 when they return to the field and host the Colts. All told, it’s wait and see time for Callahan and company.