While the Indianapolis Colts still harbor slim playoff hopes, the Tennessee Titans aim to land a potentially fatal blow to those chances with a new starting quarterback.
Tennessee coach Brian Callahan turns to veteran backup Mason Rudolph in place of second-year pro Will Levis when his team journeys to Indianapolis on Sunday for an AFC South matchup.
It's actually Rudolph's second turn as the team's starter this year. He got the call for three games in late October and early November when a shoulder injury sent Levis to the sidelines. Levis returned on Nov. 10 and played well before a disastrous, turnover-prone performance in last week's 37-27 loss to Cincinnati.
Levis tossed three interceptions and coughed up a fumble in 2 1/2 quarters, getting the hook after giving up a pick-six that helped sink the Titans to a 3-11 mark.
"I felt like it was the best thing for our team these last few weeks to see what Mason can bring offensively," Callahan said of his approach to the final weeks of the 2024 campaign. "Situationally, in the season, I felt like we needed a spark at the quarterback position."
Rudolph has completed 97 of 154 passes for 1,015 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions, while Levis is 181 of 284 for 1,916 yards with 12 scores and 12 picks. Tennessee is 26th in passing yards per game, 27th in total yards per game and 27th in scoring.
Rudolph said he is sympathetic for Levis but excited to get on the field again.
"Thankful to get another opportunity to go out there and play with this team," he said. "It will be fun to go out there and play football again on Sunday. I know what it feels like for the switch to be made. We've always had each other's backs."
The Titans' opponent this week knows something about benching a young quarterback. The Colts (6-8) tried that approach with second-year pro Anthony Richardson for two games in November, inserting veteran Joe Flacco into the lineup for losses to Minnesota and Buffalo.
Richardson returned to the lineup, playing well in a comeback win at the New York Jets. But his level of play dropped in the past three games, cratering last week in a 31-13 loss at Denver, where he completed only 17 of 38 passes for 172 yards with two interceptions.
Richardson, who has made just 14 NFL starts due to injuries that cost him most of last year, is completing only 47 percent of his passes for 1,683 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season.
"You've got to be able to make great decisions at all times, whether that's handing the ball off the right way or looking at coverage the right way, checking the play," Richardson said. "So I'll always have to make sure my decisions are on point."
Richardson's mistakes were overshadowed by two brutal blunders. A failed double pass on a lateral resulted in a key Denver touchdown in the fourth quarter, while Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball just outside the goal line, denying him a 41-yard touchdown that would have given the Colts a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter. Instead, the ball went out of bounds in the end zone and was ruled a touchback.
Indianapolis leads the all-time series 38-22, including a 20-17 win in October in Nashville. It has to win out and hope for the Los Angeles Chargers to drop two of their last three games to have a playoff chance.
On the injury front, wide receivers Alec Pierce (concussion), Michael Pittman Jr. (back) and Ashton Dulin (ankle), kicker Matt Gay (beck) and tight end Mo Alie-Cox (hip) were among the players held out of practice Wednesday. Corrnerback JuJu Brents (knee) was limited.
For the Titans, wide receiver Tyler Boyd (foot), kicker Nick Folk (abdomen), and linebackers Luke Gifford (concussion), Kenneth Murray (hamstring) and Otis Reese (ankle) joined running back Tony Pollard (ankles) and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (rest) as being among the players to sit out Wednesday.
--Field Level Media