Here’s how Titans can still make AFC playoffs

The Titans were one of six teams bending the ear of Deion Sanders in Boulder, Colo., this week, but don’t read too much into that. Even though they’ve started 1-3, they might not be drafting so high in April. NFL schedule-makers have provided Tennessee an interesting opportunity to rebound.

Fresh off their Week 5 bye and a 31-12 win at Miami on Sept. 30, the Titans host Indianapolis (2-3) on Sunday at Nissan Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS). After this week, Tennessee doesn’t have another division game until Week 12 at Houston. In other words, five of the Titans’ final seven games are AFC South opponents. Plus, two of Tennessee’s first four games were against NFC opponents.

Translation: The Titans have an open window to not only move up in their division starting Sunday, but also to pad the conference-record tiebreaker and ticket to the AFC playoffs. That’s why Sunday’s game against the Colts is so important to the Titans.

“It’s what we call around here a street fight,” said defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on Wednesday, courtesy of Jim Wyatt. “They know us and we know them, especially up front.”

And up front is where Simmons will be Sunday, returning to the lineup after missing the Dolphins win with an elbow injury.

“We’ve had some great battles against guys like Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly,” Simmons said. “But, like I said, we’ve got to expect a fight. At the end of the day, it’s a division game, our first one, and we’ve got to expect their best ball. Hopefully, we can play our best ball. At the end of the day, we’re going to have to go out there and win a street fight.”

Whether the Colts fight with Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco at quarterback is a gametime decision. Richardson is questionable with an oblique injury that sidelined him at Jacksonville last week. In relief, Flacco led Indianapolis to a Week 4 win over Pittsburgh and nearly came back to beat the Jaguars. While Richardson is on track to play, the Colts have been a much different offense with Flacco.

So different that Titans head coach Brian Callahan called them “polar opposites” on Wednesday.

“They have talent,” he said. “They are just very different styles. It’s a challenge.”

Tennessee’s defense also has the challenge of not knowing whether Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman will play on Sunday. Reportedly out with a back injury, Pittman was a surprise questionable designation on the Colts’ Friday injury report. If he can’t go, Alec Pierce will lead a host of replacements.