Colts, Titans battling key injuries ahead of divisional clash

Who’s in and who’s out?

That might determine the outcome of Sunday’s game when the Indianapolis Colts travel to Nashville, Tenn., for an AFC South clash with the Tennessee Titans.

Indianapolis (2-3) played without quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) and running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) in last week’s 37-34 loss at previously winless Jacksonville, although backup signal-caller Joe Flacco did his part in the game with 359 yards through the air.

Tennessee (1-3) is coming off its bye week after giving first-year coach Brian Callahan his first win with a 31-12 victory at the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football” Sept. 30.

The Titans won that night without star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (elbow) and lost quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) in the first quarter.

Help is on the way against the Colts. Callahan said Friday that Simmons is expected to play and Levis will start.

“(Levis) took every rep and made every throw in practice well,” Callahan said. “It hasn’t affected his practice or him throwing.”

Safety Jamal Adams (hip) and defensive lineman Keondre Coleman (knee) have been ruled out for the game.

Tennessee’s defense has been a bright spot amid the team’s slow start. It leads the league in total defense (243.8 yards allowed per game) and pass defense (124.0 yards per game), while ranking tied for 15th against the run (119.8 yards per game).

Indianapolis will play its second straight game without Taylor. Head coach Shane Steichen announced Friday that the ankle injury Taylor sustained in the Colts’ 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 29 will keep him out again.

Taylor has run for 349 yards and four touchdowns across four games this season. With him out against Jacksonville last Sunday, the Colts tried just 20 running plays on 65 offensive snaps.

Steichen, however, noted quarterback Richardson will be listed as questionable and his availability will be a game-time decision.

However, Richardson is optimistic that he can return to action.

“Way better, compared to last week,” Richardson said earlier this week of his status. “I was able to move a little bit. I’m able to get going, start running, throwing. Feeling good about that. I can do the stuff I need to do in the offense.”

Whichever quarterback starts against the Titans — Richardson or Flacco — will be down a key target.

ESPN reported Wednesday that top receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is expected to miss multiple weeks with a back injury. Pittman has 22 receptions for 238 yards and one touchdown in five games this season.

Fellow receiver Josh Downs (toe) also is questionable for Sunday after missing Wednesday’s practice.

Whether Indianapolis’ defense can offer any resistance remains to be seen. The Colts rank last in total defense (419.2 yards allowed per game), next-to-last against the run (157.0 yards per game) and 29th of 32 teams against the pass (262.2 yards per game).

Jacksonville carved Indianapolis up for 497 total yards last week, including 371 through the air.

The Colts hold a 37-21 lead in their regular-season series against Tennessee, winning both matchups last year.

–Field Level Media

Former No. 1 picks duel as Jags, Bears collide in London

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles feels rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is “right where he should be and continuing to get better.”

To be sure, Williams has helped Chicago to two straight wins entering Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, although Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen offers an assessment of his own.

“You like to play against rookie quarterbacks,” Hines-Allen said. “A lot of them want to make the big plays. So, they tend to hold on to the ball a little more.”

Chicago (3-2) will look to keep Williams rolling — and upright — against a Jaguars team that stopped a season-opening four-game losing streak with a 37-34 home victory against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.

Jacksonville (1-4) became the last team in the NFL to earn a victory this season behind a career-best 371 passing yards from quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

While the Bears got to town Tuesday, travel to London was delayed for Jacksonville by Hurricane Milton. Familiarity is on the side of the Jaguars, who won as a home and away team in the International Series games last season.

“I don’t think you ever get used to the travel, but once you get there it is what it is,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen said. “At the end, we have a game to win, and that’s really our main focus.”

Lawrence, like Williams a former No. 1 overall draft pick, was 28 for 34 through the air with two touchdowns and an interception.

Brian Thomas Jr. caught five passes for 122 yards and a score while Tank Bigsby rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Jaguars to a season-high 497 yards of offense.

“I thought we’ve done a good job how we diversify the ball,” Jacksonville receiver Christian Kirk said.

Running back Travis Etienne agreed, adding that the run game is “going to help continue to elevate our offense.”

The possible return of tight end Evan Engram (hamstring), who was limited in practice all week, also could offer a boost. Engram is questionable to play, along with wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee), safety Daniel Thomas (hamstring) and linebacker Yasir Abdullah (neck). Cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) was ruled out.

Williams surpassed 300 yards passing for the second time as the Bears routed the visiting Carolina Panthers 36-10 last Sunday. Williams was 20-for-29 passing for 304 yards and a pair of touchdowns to DJ Moore, who had 105 yards on five catches against his former team.

Poles lauded Williams’ resiliency and ability to adjust to what the game gives him.

“The human side of it is you want your guy to just take off and roll, but everyone’s journey is gonna be different,” Poles said. “I think the important thing is for Caleb to understand that as well and run his own race, and he’s done that well in terms of just focusing on how can I get better, how can I put our team in a position to win games.”

Offseason acquisition D’Andre Swift has offered a steady hand to the attack of late. In each of the past two games, Swift has gained at least 120 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown.

The Bears will be without safety Jaquan Brisker, who didn’t travel with the team as he continues to experience concussion-like symptoms stemming from a second-quarter collision with Carolina tight end Tommy Tremble on Sunday. The play didn’t force Brisker from the game.

Elijah Hicks will replace Brisker in the lineup, Chicago coach Matt Eberflus said.

On injured reserve since Aug. 27 with a toe injury, Bears defensive end Jacob Martin returned to practice Wednesday, opening a 21-day window to reinstate him on the active roster. Martin is questionable for the game, as is left guard Teven Jenkins (ankle).

Defensive back Tyrique Stevenson (calf) is doubtful, while defensive lineman Zacch Pickens (groin) and cornerback Terell Smith (hip) were ruled out.

Chicago leads the all-time series 5-3 and rolled to a 41-7 road victory in 2020 in the most recent meeting.

The Bears are 1-1 in London games. Jacksonville, which is 6-5 in the British capital, will remain there to face the New England Patriots in Week 7.

–Field Level Media

Defensive-minded Broncos, Chargers square up for slugfest

Back in Denver days after breaking the long-running hex of the rival Raiders, the Broncos attempt to catch lightning in a bottle once more when another division foe rolls into town Sunday afternoon.

The Broncos (3-2) catapulted into second place in the AFC West with a 34-18 win over the visiting Raiders last week and push for a fourth consecutive win over the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2).

Los Angeles managed 16 total points in a pair of defeats against Denver last season, part of the reason the Chargers are under new management in 2024. New boss Jim Harbaugh steers a rested bunch into Week 6 following a bye week wary of a battle plan from the Broncos that looks eerily familiar.

“Not where we want to be. We want to be 4-0,” Harbaugh said. “We’re 2-2.”

Denver enjoyed home cooking last week, when they snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Raiders that included every game since the franchise moved to Las Vegas. The Broncos put up 34 points, their highest output in a game since beating the Lions 38-10 on Dec. 12, 2021 with a backfield of Teddy Bridgewater and Melvin Gordon.

Defense is the common denominator in this AFC West contest. The Broncos have allowed 11.8 points per game since a Week 1 loss at Seattle and are tied for second in the NFL in scoring defense behind the Chargers’ NFL-leading 12.5 opponent points per game.

“In my experience, defense comes along a little quicker,” Harbaugh said. “Offense is that frustrated, patient discipline.”

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert welcomed the early bye week.

He played through a high ankle sprain in consecutive losses before the Week 5 break as the Chargers reset in the midst of a stretch with two touchdowns in the past 10 quarters. The Steelers and Chiefs took away the running game that put up 395 yards to carry the offense during a 2-0 start. Production declined to 116 total yards in the defeats to Pittsburgh and Kansas City.

Harbaugh said “nobody does more” for the Chargers than Herbert, who is practicing with his right ankle wrapped and was a limited practice participant on Wednesday. He’s also a key component in the Chargers making the type of improvement Harbaugh said he’s chasing.

“For us it’s getting crisper, sharper on offense,” Harbaugh said, pointing to penalties as missed assignments as areas of focus. “And in all areas. But that’s particularly what we’re attacking.”

Finding a ground game has helped Nix settle in; he threw four interceptions in his first two starts. He enters Week 6 with 78 consecutive passes without a pick over the past three starts with Denver’s team rushing yardage over 100 in each of those wins.

‘He’s getting experience, and we’re seeing it,” Payton said of Nix impressing him with “processing” skills pre-snap.

A run-first identity is Payton’s preference, but he knows the Broncos have to find a way to take more consistent shots downfield to open running lanes and extend drives. Denver’s 14.8 first downs per game is tied for 30th in the NFL with the New England Patriots — behind the likes of the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns — but ahead of the 32nd-ranked Chargers (13.5).

One of the consequences is a miniscule margin for error for both defenses. Nix had 60 passing yards in a Week 3 win over the Jets. Herbert is averaging 144.5 passing yards per game.

But both teams are staying afloat by coming up with takeaways and getting to the quarterback. Only five teams have more takeaways than the Broncos’ eight and the Chargers are tied for third in the league with a plus-five turnover differential.

Nix averages 168.3 passing yards per game, 30th in the NFL. But Payton insists he’ll measure success of his team and quarterback by one statistic — victories. Nix is the first Denver rookie quarterback to win three consecutive starts and posted his first game with multiple TD passes last week, when the Broncos also delivered a 100-yard interception return courtesy of cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Surtain was NFL defensive player of the week and is being mentioned as a potential NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

“He’s playing lights out,” Payton said of Surtain. “I can’t stand talking about those type of awards in the early part of October. But man, the play he made the other day was huge. He’s obviously one of, if not the top corner in the league. He practices his tail off. He’s a great teammate.”

Surtain said “it is a little early” for end-of-season awards and he’s looking to build each week.

“I’m just going to keep on working and keep on honing my craft,” Surtain said.

After Week 6, three of the next four games are on the road for the Broncos. Payton returns to New Orleans next week for a primetime matchup with the Saints on Thursday night. Denver hosts the Panthers in Week 8 before going to Baltimore and Kansas City to start November.

The Chargers are also in primetime next week with a Monday night trip to play the Arizona Cardinals.

Los Angeles star outside linebacker Joey Bosa (hip) was limited in his return to practice Friday and is questionable for Sunday. Bosa has not played since Week 3. Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who started the Chargers’ first four games, is out due to a shoulder injury despite being a full participant in Thursday’s practice.

Four others are also questionable for Los Angeles: cornerbacks Deane Leonard (hamstring) and Kristian Fulton (knee), linebacker Nick Niemann (hamstring) and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater (pectoral).

The Broncos have ruled out receiver Josh Reynolds (hand), center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) and offensive tackle Alex Palczewski (ankle). Running back Audric Estime (ankle) and cornerback Damarri Mathis (ankle) are questionable.

–Field Level Media