Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans: Monday Night NFL on Sky Sports
Tuesday 17 October 2017 06:42, UK
The Indianapolis Colts travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans in an AFC South divisional clash on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action from 1.15am.
Both teams could be without their young, star quarterbacks, with Colts' Andrew Luck still recovering from shoulder surgery during the offseason, while Titans signal-caller Marcus Mariota picked up a hamstring injury two weeks ago.
Live NFL
But, what can we expect when these two teams meet under the Monday night lights? We are live on Sky Sports Main Event (401) and Action (407) from 1.15am...
In 140 Characters...
The Colts and the Titans, both 2-3 on the year, meet Monday night with a win for either seeing them take a share of lead atop the AFC South.
What's the latest?
Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey says that the decision on Mariota's injury status "could go all the way up to the game". Mariota aggravated his hamstring in a Week Four drubbing by the Houston and missed the following defeat to the Miami Dolphins.
Colts starting QB Luck, meanwhile, took to the [practice field on Thursday and Saturday this week but will risk playing on Monday night, telling reporters he will continue being cautious with his throwing shoulder as he gets close to the "finish line" of his recovery.
Stat attack
Without their star QBs, the Colts are 8-7 in 15 games since 2015, while the Titans are 1-5 in the six games they've had to do without Mariota since 2015.
Key battle
With both teams potentially have to do without their leading QBs, they might have to lean heavily on the run game. Tennessee's was ticking along nicely through the first three weeks of the season but has stalled badly since. Derick Henry picked up 92 yards and a TD in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, while DeMarco Murray had 115 and a score in beating the Seattle Seahawks - they have tallied only 105 total between them through the last two games though.
For the Colts, it has been quite the opposite... 34-year-old veteran Frank Gore has been steady, if unspectacular, in registering between 40 and 60 yards in every week of the season so far, while rookie Marlon Mack broke out in a big way in last week's win over the San Francisco 49ers, rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown off only nine carries. Who wins the battle of the backs could be the deciding factor in this one.
Game-changer
Or, maybe not... When you have got such a star wide receiver like T.Y. Hilton on your roster then why would you run the ball? Hilton hasn't felt Luck's continued absence too keenly, averaging 93.2 receiving yards per game this season, including monster 153 and 177-yard games in Indianapolis' only wins on the season, against the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco.
Watch the Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Main Event (401) from 1.15am on Tuesday.
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