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Tennessee Titans looking to take control of division, destiny as they travel to red-hot Indianapolis Colts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel wasn't in a celebratory mood when he took the podium after their convincing 27-3 drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Although he was happy for the players and coaches, Vrabel's focus was already on the Indianapolis Colts.

"Try to prepare for a huge division game on the road," Vrabel said. "I guess that is where my mind goes, just to the next game and what it is going to be. That is part of my job is to get us focused and ready for the next game."

The Titans are in the midst of a three-game winning streak as they hit the road to face the Colts on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) at Lucas Oil Field. Indianapolis (3-4) has won three out of four, including two straight, since its 25-16 loss to Tennessee in Week 3.

All three phases of the game were on point for Tennessee (5-2) last week. The defense held Kansas City to its lowest total since 2012 when the Chiefs lost 38-3 to the Denver Broncos.

Offensive coordinator Todd Downing's offense showcased creative play calling and designs, resulting in the a third consecutive game of at least 27 points.

Even the special teams unit shined with the return of punter Brett Kern, who pinned the Chiefs at the 3-yard line twice last week.

In the past, the Titans used to demand respect after a win over a team like the Chiefs. That's not the case for the current group. Like their coach, the players are focused on Indianapolis.

"They are not handing out Lombardi trophies in the middle of the season," safety Kevin Byard said Sunday. "So, we are not going to get caught up too much in this win, either. We are going to enjoy it tonight and get ready for a division matchup with the Colts on the road."

Added Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, "We're seven games into a long season and need to keep improving week in and week out so we're playing our best football late into the year. It's a good start, but it doesn't matter what you've already done. It matters what you're going to do next."

A win on Sunday would give the Titans a regular-season sweep of the Colts and a commanding three-game lead in the AFC South.

One thing the Titans have going for them as they travel to Indianapolis is how effective running back Derrick Henry has been against the Colts. Henry has strung together four consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards against Indianapolis.

No other back has gained 100 yards rushing against the Colts since Frank Reich took over as coach in 2018. In Week 3, Henry had 113 yards on 28 carries.

Henry's 869 rushing yards are the most in the NFL so far this season. Opposing defenses have remained focused on slowing Henry down.

As a result, Tennessee's passing game showed some life last week with Tannehill completing 21 of his 27 attempts for 270 yards and a touchdown. A.J. Brown turned in his best game of the season by hauling in eight passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, as well.

But Brown is still looking for improvement.

"It means nothing," Brown said. "I tell myself I haven’t done anything. I’ve got to keep getting better, got to keep working. I’m on to the next."

Sunday's game against the Colts presents an opportunity for Brown to notch his first 100-yard receiving game against Indianapolis. Brown came close in Week 12 last season when he had four catches for 98 yards.

A big game from Brown would be clutch for the Titans, since Indianapolis has rung up at least 30 points on the scoreboard in each of its past three games. Colts quarterback Carson Wentz has thrown two passes for touchdowns in four consecutive games.

Stopping Wentz will fall squarely on the Titans' front which has unveiled a new package that features Bud Dupree and Denico Autry on the outside with Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry III attacking the interior.

"You just can't pinpoint what we're going to do or where we're going," Dupree said of the package.

Tennessee was able to harass Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes by pressuring him 18 times while blitzing him only once. The front four accounted for four sacks and pressured Mahomes into making an ill-advised throw that resulted in an interception.

The Titans would like to pressure Wentz into poor decisions leading to turnovers. They stand a much better chance if they can get to Wentz quickly. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Wentz's 91 QBR with three or more seconds to throw this season is the sixth best in the NFL.

Wentz is averaging 10.7 yards per attempt along with four touchdowns and zero interceptions when he has at least three seconds to throw. That's a vast improvement from Wentz's 29 QBR in the same situation last season, when he average 6.2 yards per attempt and had seven touchdown passes with eight interceptions.

But the Colts have a much better offensive line than Kansas City, especially now that All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson is back after a high ankle sprain landed him on injured reserve on Oct 2.

Nelson brings a different physical element to the Colts' offensive line. Lining up against Nelson is a challenge that Simmons is especially looking forward to. It's also one that will have a big impact on how the game turns out.

"He's a great player," Simmons said. "I always look forward to going against other great players because that's the first step of trying to take your game to the next level, playing great against great players. The Colts have a lot of faith in him. That's why they run behind him a lot. So being able to go against him, we've had our battles. This game comes down to -- if you want to point out us two -- who's going to be the more physical guy? I don't plan on losing that battle."