Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Will Levis FAILURE HURTS, Anthony Richardson Regresses & Callahan Evaluation Period

Episode Date: December 18, 2024

The Tennessee Titans have benched Will Levis and the reality of that decision creates a despair for Titans fans that is familiar to the Indianapolis Colts as their quarterback Anthony Richardson has also been a disappointment. Zach Hicks from Locked On Colts joins the show for Crossover Thursday to communally grieve the failures both teams have had this season despite different paths to get there. Finally, there is a game on Sunday and each team has some obvious things they must accomplish to win, but the question truly is whether each team wants to win. For the fans, it is probably no.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.Hillsdale CollegeAll of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

It's the Battle of the AFC South Badds this Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts host the Tennessee Titans. Who you got? Let's get to it. You are locked on NFL Crossover, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Thank you all for tuning in and making us your first listen of every day. picks down the gap and use code locked on NFL to win $50 instantly when you play five. Hello, everyone. I am Zach. Hit your favorite film nerd over at the Locked On Colts podcast.

And as always, I'm joined by Tyler Rowland of Locked On Titans for this crossover Thursday. We do have a game to talk about, so we will get to that. So again, today's episode, we're going to talk about the biggest keys to victory in the actual game that is playing on Sunday. But first, we're going to kick it off with what's going on with the Colts, what's going on with the Titans. And knowing how me and Tyler are, we're going to ramble and rant and yell as much as possible for a family-friendly show. So, Tyler, let's kick it off with the Tennessee Titans here.

And we could start offense, we could start defense, but let's start about just the overall aspect of this Titans team right now. Yeah. And it is, the Titans went into this past offseason with, we need to change everything that's going on right now. We have a young quarterback. We're going to give him a whole new roster to work with, a whole new coach, whole new coaching staff in general.

They made big moves to LeJarius Sneed, made big moves for Calvin Ridley, Lloyd Cushenberry at center. They made a lot of huge moves this offseason, and we're three weeks away from the finale of this year, and they're in the same place they were last season. They're in a worse place. They've won less games. They have less answers. There's less hope. Mike Drable was a guy who I was ready to move on from, and I think it was still the right decision. But that doesn't mean that Brian Callahan is the right guy.

And I think there's been a big loss of faith in the process with the Titans. And realistically, I could go through all the different reasons. It didn't work from pass rush to O-line to depth issues and all of that. But what it comes down to at the end of the day, the biggest reason is Will Levis has failed. Like whether the experiment is over is obviously up for debate. Most likely you look at it, Will Levis probably never plays for the Titans ever again or starts a game for the Titans, barring an injury to Mason Rudolph this year or whatever. But I mean, I can't even rule out that he would be back on the team. But what we know is regardless of his roster status or contract status is he is not the

Tennessee Titans quarterback of the future. And I think that is at the end of the day, Zach, a big thing that I've been talking about all week on Locked on Titans is just the emotion of feeling this moment as a fan. And me and you, you know, do this for a living. We talk, we try to be biased, we try to be level-headed. But at the end of the day, as Colts fans are probably feeling too, seeing the guy that you had all your hopes on fail and knowing it in your heart,

I keep saying we're taking off the two-tone glasses as a Titans tribe this week and looking each other dead in the eyes and just saying, Will Levis isn't going to lead us to a championship. He's not going to be that guy. I think that in its core sucks more than anything as a sports fan. He's just too frenzied in the pocket, does not have any pocket awareness or poise, turnover prone, and he's just getting the team.

The first month of the season, he killed the team with the turnovers, just killed their chances to win. And then he had gotten away from that when he came back from injury for four weeks. He wasn't the reason they were losing, but the other things being so bad kind of hid what he was doing because it was good football, but it wasn't elevate the team football, which is ultimately what you need from a championship quarterback. And then he regressed right back into the turnover happy play

the last couple of weeks. And again, it just kills your football team to have the turnovers and to not pay that off in any other way. You know what I mean? So the reality of Will Levis not being the answer for the Titans is the most depressing, debilitating thing of the entire season because like with the Colts, this year was about getting your answer, getting more information on this guy.

And I keep comparing it to like a doctor's visit. You know, you're sick, you go into the doctor, they say, hey, we know what the problem is, but the problem is you have a terminal disease. And it's like, we got our answer on Will Levis, but man, it's not the problem is you have a terminal disease and it's like we got our answer on Will Levis but man it's not the answer that you wanted so that more than anything is the big story and that is the overarching feel of Titans fans and I'm sure that you know obviously like we'll talk about Colts fans have a similar feeling at least in their gut right now yeah it

might not be that far with the Colts, but it's not far off. It's not far off. It has not been a great season for Richardson. We've seen a better play recently, but then it kind of came back to earth again against the Denver Broncos. But we'll talk about that next segment with the Colts. To look at the Titans still, especially on offense,

you know, you make this move to Mason Rudolph. What are the Titans kind of looking for with this move at quarterback because you don't you're not really getting someone that you can really develop or look at at quarterback it's not a particularly like super young supporting cast around it's a lot of free agents that brought in like what are what are they hoping to accomplish these last three weeks with Mason Rudolph at quarterback well I think there are still some young players on the Titans who need that development. I think J.C. Latham on the offensive line is really why I would look at it. You need J.C. Latham and Peter Skowronski to continue to develop,

and when a quarterback is holding the ball so long that it's making the offensive line give up sacks, that can do damage to your psyche. You know what I mean? So I think think Mason Rudolph's ability you look at the pressure to sack rates from Will Levis to Mason Rudolph it is night and day and the Titans give up five or six sacks in a month and then Levis comes back and it's 22 in a month it's like okay it's pretty obvious what's happening and that can damage the momentum of the offensive line which you're still going to have parts of next year, especially your most important parts. So I think that the development there is important. You want the defensive veterans who have been playing pretty decent football for most of

the year. You got to keep them believing in you. And ultimately, I think it comes down to Brian Callahan more than anything. He needs to prove to ownership like, look, my system works. I can win games with a backup quarterback that just operates cleanly and doesn't lose it for us. We're a better team than we've looked like. I've been trying to develop this young quarterback, which is what we all agreed was the best plan, is to develop the young quarterback, but he's not the

answer. Now it's making me look like I don't deserve my job because the young quarterback that we're all focused on isn't good enough. So I think this last three games is Brian Callahan saying, I got to save my job. I got to protect my future. Like we need to win a couple games with Mason Rudolph operating my offense without any greatness, you know what I mean? To prove that not only can I lead this team to wins,

but my system is a good system that can lead to points. So I think that this is really not, you know, there are young players that need development, but the development really has to be from the head coach to prove that he deserves to be around. And that is what these last three weeks are truly about, if you're honest with yourself. Yeah, it's very fair.

And I think Colts fans are kind of feeling something somewhat similar again it's a different situation we'll talk about it with the Colts uh section here but I did want to talk about the defense real quick for the Titans uh they started off really great this season I know some of the opponents weren't the best offenses they were going against it has gone down a little bit recently with games against the Detroit Lions where they gave up over 50 points in that game, game against the Bengals this past week. I know the Levis turnovers kind of made it look

a little bit worse, but has the defense regressed or disappointed this season or is it more so they were holding up this team so much early in the season against maybe some weaker offenses and it's kind of regressed a little bit there? Yeah, I think they were never like the great defense that their number one yardage rating and stuff like that would indicate.

I think they're a good defense that has good moments. The problem is they're terrible in the red zone, and a lot of that had to do with the turnovers and putting them in bad spots early, but they're still not good in the red zone even with that adjusted. You know what I mean? So I think they're not good in the red zone. That hurts.

They've been doing it with backups in the secondary and kind of making it work. But the real issue is the lack of pass rush. Tavondre Sweat has been an okay pass rusher. Not great. Jeffrey Simmons has had a down year for his standards. Harold Landry has good sack numbers, and he's played better of late. But he just doesn't have that speed and that bend that he had in his rookie contract years to get around.

He doesn't really have any other pass rush moves to go to after that. Then Arden Key is a super inconsistent guy who's really matchup dependent. If he has a good matchup, he'll play well. If he doesn't, he's eliminated from the game. He's a third rusher, not a starting rusher in the NFL, so they just don't have enough pass rush talent and success right now to help those backups in the back end. So they have good drives when they get a little bit of pressure, but they're inconsistent throughout games and those

inconsistent drives lead to the problems. So ultimately pass rush is the issue, but the defense is just good, not great. Like maybe some of the numbers would indicate yeah which is a big upgrade from last season but it's still still not where you want it to be but again the issue is more so on offense which yes again Colts fans listening to this you guys are hearing a lot from Tyler here it sounds very similar so we are going to talk about the Colts coming up in just a second even though Tyler kind of gave us a really good preview there of what we're going to talk about you know yeah yeah Colts Colts up next, guys. It's that time of year.

The college football playoff is back. And with the newly expanded 12-team format, it's guaranteed to be bigger and better than ever, bringing you all the hard-hitting and high-flying excitement that you love. TNT sports coverage of the college football playoff begins December 21st, starting with the college football playoff kickoff show presented by AT&T at 11 a.m. Eastern, leading into our first matchup, the SMU Mustangs battling the Penn State Nittany Lions at noon. Then the Clemson Tigers look to upset the Texas Longhorns in a showdown at 4 p.m. Eastern. Don't

miss a moment of the action. Watch the college football playoff presented by Allstate live on TNT, TruTV, TBS, and Max. Time truly is our most precious commodity, so don't waste it scrolling through the same mind-numbing content for hours and hours. How can you spend it wisely to improve yourself? Our sponsor, Hillsdale College, is offering more than 40 free, that's right, free online courses, including Constitution 101, The Meaning and the History of the Constitution, Introduction to Free Market Economics, and The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic. I mean, look, guys, I'm obsessed with Rome and all sorts of ancient history.

So that one seems like a very exciting one for me personally. But all of Hillsdale's courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever and tune in whenever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions, or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu slash locked on to enroll. There's no cost and it's easy to get started. That's hillsdale.edu slash locked on to enroll there's no cost and it's easy to get started that's hillsdale dot edu slash locked on to register hillsdale dot edu slash locked on all righty guys we are back with this crossover thursday on zach hicks of locked on colts tyler roland of locked on titans and tyler now we're talking about the Colts. I've been dreading this.

I could just let you talk about the Colts and I'll just leave the room here. Because you kind of covered it in your first one. Yeah, it's similar. With what you were saying about the Titans. I will add this and then I'll let you get to your questions about the Colts here. I don't think the Colts are fully done with Anthony Richardson. If anything, I think there is still some optimism in him. But it still needs to be.

Well, that's my question. Why? Why is still some optimism in him, but it still needs to be. Well, that's my question. Why? Why is there still optimism? What has led you to believe that year three, and he's still starting. So right now, I think that's more likely than Levis being back, is Richardson being back. But what is in this moment where everyone's clowning him, the completion percentage is bad, the turnovers are bad, you know, what still gives you optimism that we can see a year three leap here that makes him at least serviceable yeah i think especially when you compare it to a situation like levis for instance so i'm not going to make this a one-to-one exactly but we're going to generally compare the two situations here levis an older prospect obviously you draft him to be

more nfl ready you have less investment in him because he was a second round pick where the Colts had the early investment, the fourth overall pick, a 20, 21 year old guy. And everyone that's currently in this Colts building was involved in drafting that guy in Anthony Richardson. Brian Callahan was not involved in drafting Will Levis. So it's easier for him. Some say Rand Carthon wasn't involved in drafting Will Levis. Some say that that was a directive given by the owner. It's out there. I'm just saying it's out for him to make a move. And some say Rand Carthon wasn't involved in drafting Will Levis. Some say that that was a directive given by the owner. It's out there. I'm just saying it's out there.

Right. Believe what you want. X-Files. Everyone needs to save their own skin a little bit when it comes to stuff like this. But everyone involved with this Colts team was invested in Anthony Richardson. So if this coaching staff, if this general manager gets another year next season, they have to ride the ship out. And I do think there is some reason. I'm not saying a ton of reason to believe in Anthony Richardson because the second season has been rough. But again, super young quarterback, still only 22 years old.

And in some way, like with Richardson, there are a couple metrics that are so darn good with him, but it's hard to really look at them when you see the completion percentage when you see the turnovers so it's been a concerning season it's been a regressing season from anthony richardson overall he's been better since the benching but this past week against the denver broncos was a revert back to a bad early season play so you really want to see how he finishes these last three games if he finishes it overall like the games since the benching were pretty solid like if he can get to a high 50 low 60 completion percentage in these last three games you can ride that momentum into the offseason and hopefully

figure something out from there uh two comeback wins recently too that kind of gets you excited like two fourth quarter comeback wins um so there are reasons for optimism recently with him. But I do agree, like when you look at the big picture of, we're going to go into year three with this quarterback, he's a 40% passer, you know, 50% passer at best. It's not super concerned. It's not super optimistic, you know, when you look at this. So I don't think the Colts or some of the fan bases for sure

i don't think all the fans though are kind of at where the titans are at with will levis but i'm not going to say we're at over the moon with richardson and we're saying that this is our franchise quarterback it's more like cautious skepticism you know when it comes to him um which is a bad place to be it's maybe not honestly it might be worse than being where the titans are i was about to say it might not be as not. Honestly, it might be worse than being where the Titans are. I was about to say it might not be as bad, but it might be worse, honestly, than where the Titans are. I think there's a feeling of I would be okay with less wins from the Colts' perspective, obviously,

if Richardson would have played well this year. You know what I mean? Like it's almost a worthy tradeoff. I would sacrifice the wins to know that I would feel better about the quarterback but my question I guess after Richardson is how do you feel about the rest of the roster because I feel like over the last few years there's been a feeling in Indianapolis that like we have a really good roster if we just had better quarterback play we could be really really good, I feel like that's been the feeling and the way that people talk about Indianapolis locally and nationally.

Like, it's this good roster that just is a quarterback away. Do you still feel like that? Because I know that there's been some struggles in other areas. Do you feel that Ballard could do what he did this year where they just, you know, it's like the opposite of the Titans like we talked about. Titans went out and spent a bunch of money. The coach really said, no, we like what we have. Well, both teams were wrong and you know, or am I wrong about that? And the culture, right. And it was better than you thought. Where are you at with the rest of

the roster? Yeah. I think the hoop, the hubris of Chris Ballard and maybe even us to covering the team is that this roster has always just been a quarterback away because the quarterback play hasn't been good. And I think when you put all of it on the quarterback, it makes you ignore some of the other issues with the roster. Now, to be fair to Chris Ballard and again, the people like me, I guess, to be fair to all of us here, this roster is not bad. It's not a bad roster by any means. Chris Ballard is essentially a draft-only GM. We draft and develop, and that's where we get our players. But the thing is, he's fantastic at drafting solid players.

He has built a roster of very solid players. And if you're looking at where the star power is on this team, right now it's Quinton nelson ish who's getting older it's a guard you know and yeah forrest buckner who is yep in his 30s right jonathan taylor you're paying like a star but he's not playing like a star because running backs have that shelf life and he's starting to hit that shelf life michael pitman jr you're paying like a star he's not a star player. He's a good number two. You know what I mean?

Yeah, solid number two. But he's not a star. Grover Stewart, you're paying like a star. He's a star run stuffer, but he's not a star player. You know, Zyra Franklin, you're paying like a star, but he's more of a solid linebacker. Kenny Moore, you're paying like a star. Good slot corner.

So when you look at this roster, it's lot of solid and fine and this is why when you look at this colts team this year they're one in seven against teams above 500 and they're five and one against teams below 500 right they're solid it's a solid roster a very solid roster right it's not like even if you replaced anthony richardson this season with josh allen right they win 11 games say say. Say 11 games. They're not winning a Super Bowl, though. Unless Allen just goes absolutely crazy. Right, right, right.

But likely, no. It's a fine roster. But this is nothing compared to like the rosters that have been put around Pat Mahomes in recent years. They've won Super Bowls. Or the Eagles or the Niners. The Eagles. The Lions.

Right. It's not that kind of roster. It's a fine roster. It can beat the basement dwellers. We are in the lower middle class of NFL right now that could maybe get up to upper middle class with better quarterback play. But when you put it all on the quarterback, you ignore the issues of the roster. And that's kind of a roster, but it's just not where it needs to be if you want the goal of being in the Super Bowl or the goal of winning a Super Bowl uh this roster is perfectly fine to be in that middle class but

it's not perfectly fine to be above that you know yeah it's like you guys are closer than the Titans but it's still pretty it still feels far away you know what I mean when you look at other teams so I that's a great explanation really and it makes a ton of sense yeah and and this is talk about the defense real quick too because I know uh we just want to get a little bit on that here Gus Bradley's our defensive coordinator really hasn't been a mess like they're just really volatile on defense and I will say this about the Colts defense and Gus Bradley biggest game of the year last week a week. A chance to essentially, I don't want to say lock in a playoff spot, but be in a good position to be in the playoffs if they won last week.

Colts defense allowed under 200 yards of offense to the Broncos, had three interceptions, and they lost by 18. So who's the bad aspect of this Colts team? Who's the problem here? And it kind of reminds you of the Titans early this season, right? When they were losing games. It reminds me of the Titans here? Right. And it kind of reminds you of the Titans early this season, right? When they were losing. Reminds me of the Titans for 500 years. Like that's been the problem for 25 years.

The defense does a pretty good job. The offense just isn't good enough. We had like two years of A.J. Brown to end that streak. And then it came right back. So, yeah. Yep. Yep. And we had the Phillip River season that made us feel happy.

That was ours. But yeah, it's just been that kind of season. And and you guys are going to see all of it on Sunday between these two teams, that kind of season. It's going to be a low scoring game. It's going to be ugly. It's going to be disgusting. And we're going to talk about it in this final segment. We're going to really break down the actual game that is playing on Sunday. Get ready to tackle the NFL action with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook,

because right now new customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if you win. The FanDuel Sportsbook app gives you everything you need to place live bets on the NFL all in one place. So when you get a hunch in the middle of a game, you can go check out the latest stats, view live play-by-play, and so much more on the same page where you place your bets vandal has this battle of the bads as

the colts as three and a half point home favorites with the total point over under a 42 and a half just visit vandal.com to join today you'll get started with 150 in bonus bets if you win your first five dollar bet vandal.com never waste a hunch and make every moment more with FanDuel, an official sportsbook partner of the NFL. And welcome back, everyone, to Crossover Thursday, which is presented by PrizePix. Go to PrizePix.com slash LockedOnNFL and use code all lowercase LockedOnNFL to win $50 instantly when you play five.

Tyler, I know we haven't talked too much about the game that's actually happening on Sunday. So in this essential preseason game between our two beloved teams, what are the three most important keys, maybe not to winning, Tyler, but that just for you to feel better, I guess, after Sunday? Well, I'll just be upfront and honest. I'd rather talk about the three keys to winning because there's not much that can make me feel better about this season right now. It's essentially impossible, but I think the Titans have to stop the Colts run game. The Titans have been destroyed

by mobile quarterbacks all year long. They just cannot handle it, whether it be Jaden Daniels, whether it be Drake May, whether it be Sam Darnold in the pocket looking like prime Mike Vick. I mean, it doesn't matter what you want to call it. Any quarterback with an ounce of mobility to them has devastated the Titans. They just can't figure it out. So if you don't stop the plus one run game of Anthony Richardson, you're in trouble. Um, and I think on the offensive side of the ball, the Titans just have to be able to run the ball. I mean, I know stop the run, run the ball, but like they're not a good team.

You know, you can't count on them to do those things to go further down the well to say, you know, hey, you need to be good on the red zone. Hey, you need to worry about this coverage. Like we're not that far down the line to care about those things right now. So if the Titans don't run the ball and stop the run, they probably have no chance to win whatsoever. I think ultimately special teams, I feel like in these division games, weird things happen. Special teams play a big factor in these games. And the Titans have been God awful on special teams all year long. Like we're talking historically bad special teams.

When you look at like EPA and DVOA and all the alphabet things, like it is a historically bad special team season. They've improved a little bit as of late, especially in coverage. But if the Titans allow a big time special teams blunder to impact this game, a big return, a blocked punt, something like that, I don't expect the Titans to get one because they haven't gotten any big plays in special teams all year. But if they allow one to happen, they are in trouble.

So run the ball, stop the run, clean on special teams, and the Titans at least have a chance to win a 17 to 16, you know, game over the Colts. Oh man, we're talking like high school coaches with these teams because that's what they need right now. It's like, I wouldn't say Brian Callahan is a high school coach. There are Titans fans out there that would say that. So we are, we are getting that too, for sure over here in Indy. But when it comes to the most important keys for the Colts in this game on offense, develop some kind of layup game. We got to get everybody to the layup line, whether that's completing short passes, whether that's being consistent in the run game, win first and second

down for the first time this season. It would be great to see this offense just put together some success rate on offense. Let's get to third and two third and three because for all of richardson's flaws you can't stop him in third and one and third and two and third and three third and ten though it's going to be a punt or it's going to be a turnover that's what's going to happen with this colts offense so we got to get something going in the layup game get something to where we can get to second and one second and two third and one third and two and that's how you can keep this offense on track and going we've seen glimpses this season from the Colts, but they have not been able to put together four quarters of it.

And that's going to lead me over to my second key to victory. Four quarters of good football for the first time this year. There has not been a single game. Yeah, there has not been a single game this season where the Colts have had four good quarters of play. Honestly, there has not been a single game this season where they've had four consistent quarters of either end of the spectrum. It's something.

Like last weekend, the Denver Broncos, first and second quarter, really good football up 13-7 at halftime against a potential playoff team. Second half, one of the worst offensive outputs you've ever seen in the history of football. That is just what this Colts team has been. We've seen it multiple times this year where first half does not lead to success in the second half. First quarter does not lead to success in the second quarter and stuff like we've even

seen games where against the Patriots dreadful all the way up until the fourth quarter, come all the way back and get a victory in the fourth quarter. Let's get four consistent quarters of football for the first time this year and actually look like a real NFL team for all four quarters. In the last one, when it comes to this Colts defense, please squeeze the short passing game in this one. Colts have had some very volatile defensive performances this season. Really good last week against the Denver Broncos. And when you're going against a quarterback like Mason Rudolph, Mason Rudolph is not a Josh Allen type. He's not going to run around in the backfield. He's not going to throw off platform 30 yards down the field.

He's not even going to attempt many vertical passes. But he will get this offense moving if he can hit the screen game, if he can hit the quick slants, if he can get that ball out of his hand quickly. So get tight on these receivers, play close, and be competitive on those underneath throws to make life difficult for this Titans offense. So yeah, when it comes to this Colts, uh, three keys of victory here for consistent quarters, get into manageable third downs on offense and on defense, take away the short passing game, which Mason Rudolph wants to live in, uh, on this game here. Uh, but Tyler, before we go, do you want to do a prediction by any chance? Yeah, I'll predict nothing but sadness prediction by any chance for this one? Yeah, I'll predict nothing but sadness for both fan bases for the rest of the season.

That's my prediction. My prediction is the Colts play way too many veterans in this game. They care too much about winning this game. And they end up ultimately winning. I don't know what the score is going to be in this one. Because, again, the, we don't know what, if they're going to get four good quarters, three, like, yeah, the Titans need to lose the game. I mean, they need Abdul Carter. So like, right. Let's go. I'm, I'm all in, you know, do we are both fan bases rooting for their teams to lose, I guess. So the Colts want the final hammer, uh, late for the Colts that, you know, they're,

they're not going to like jump into the top five or anything. Like, they're kind of in their range. And, you know, I don't know if it's a good range to be in this draft, if I'm honest. But that's, you know, obviously conversations for the offseason. But, yeah, I think if you let the fans pick, they would both rather lose the game. I think for sure. I think for the Colts, you almost want to lose it

just so it finally shuts out the playoff conversation. Because right now they can still look at it optimistically and say hey the colts have three games against teams that have combined six wins this year whatever it is yeah and the chargers have three tough games coming up and maybe herbert's out for all three of them so do you want to get drubbed by the bills yeah 600 to 10 we just lost by wild card weekend yeah Broncos. Yeah, and then lose having a top 12 pick. You don't want that. You don't want that, Colts fans. Yeah, and do you want Chris Ballard coming out here and being like,

look, we were a playoff team. We deserve to be there. Right, keep everyone around. Yeah, but regardless, everybody, this should be a fun one, fun one on Sunday between our two teams. At least we get to see some of these young guys out there. Col get to see their young quarterback trying to put a one final case out there for him to you know get next year and maybe beyond that uh you get some other young rookies Liatu Latu still playing and stuff you guys still have Skoronski and and Latham Latham out there and

Devondre Sweat who's been a fantastic player he's been great yeah and some young linebackers we could get a look at again, which is what really matters now is the young players moving forward. Yep. So in this glorified preseason game, there is still some things to watch this weekend and we'll see who comes victorious. I mean, look,

at least we get some bragging rights if we beat you or you guys get bragging rights, like regardless. Don't want to get swept. Yeah. There's always some fun there, but we do want to thank you guys for making lockeded On Colts and Titans your first listen today. Next, check out Locked On NFL. First, Tyler Rowland kicks off your morning with a double shot of NFL espresso.

And then stop by the Barbershop with Tony Wiggins for some real NFL talk right there. We love ourselves some Tony Wiggins. He's a blast over there. Our teams combined for 10 wins this season, but we love talking ball all three of us. Find Locked on NFL on YouTube or wherever you list your podcast. If you guys don't already, make sure you're following us on social media and subscribe to us on YouTube.

And again, wherever you get your podcasts. And have a great day and we'll see you guys back here tomorrow.