Colts vs. Titans 2016 live stream: Game time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Marcus Mariota can snap Tennessee’s lengthy losing streak against Indianapolis by carving up the Colts’ deficient defense.
Tennessee has lost nine straight against Indianapolis and 14 of the last 15 matchups between these teams, but the tables could turn on Sunday. The Titans will welcome a 2-4 Colts team that looks nothing like the juggernaut who ruled the AFC South throughout the 2000s and early 2010s. Despite a still-sharp Andrew Luck behind center, a lack of blocking and defensive consistency has turned Indianapolis from a title contender to an afterthought in just two short years.
Marcus Mariota has helped Tennessee rise to 3-3 this fall, but the team’s wins have come over less than impressive competition. The Titans have beaten Detroit, Miami, and Cleveland by a combined 16 points. Those three teams are 5-13 so far this season. Still, this is the latest the team’s been at .500 or better in a season since 2013 and the most wins Mularkey has had in a year since coaching the Bills back in 2005.
Mariota has been inconsistent in his second year, and his play on the field varies wildly between Titan wins and losses. While his total yardage remains consistent, he’s considerably more efficient in Tennessee’s three victories this season:
| Marcus Mariota in Titan Wins/Losses | ||||||||
| 2016 | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds/Game | TD | Int | Rate | Y/A |
| Wins (3) | 62 | 86 | 72.09% | 228.33 | 8 | 2 | 116.70 | 7.97 |
| Losses (3) | 55 | 103 | 53.40% | 229.00 | 2 | 4 | 63.40 | 6.67 |
Stopping the second-year quarterback will be paramount for the Colts on Sunday, but the Titans' offensive line has helped keep its young passer upright this fall. Mariota has only been sacked nine teams this season, a rate good for third in the NFL. Indianapolis sits on the other end of the spectrum; with only eight sacks this season, the Colts have been one of the league's worst when it comes to pressuring the quarterback.
The focus will instead shift to the secondary, where the matchup doesn't look much better for Indianapolis. The Colts have allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 102.3 passer rating against them, good for 27th in the NFL. Mariota is an explosive threat with both his arm and legs behind center. If he can avoid a limited Indy pass rush, then he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays against a defense that's given up plenty of them in 2016.
That puts the pressure right back on the most important piece of the Colts' roster: Andrew Luck. Luck has been more accurate than he has ever been in his career and is throwing interceptions on just 1.7 percent of his dropbacks, but even that isn't enough to buoy a roster filled with holes. Indianapolis has forced its young passer into shootouts thanks to a defense giving up 29 points per contest in 2016.
If Luck can't dial up a big performance on Sunday, he may experience what it's like to lose to the Titans for the first time in his career.
How to watch Colts vs. Titans
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Place: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots
Online: Sunday Ticket
