The unstoppable Colts rookie the Titans must contain if they plan on getting their first win

Contain Tyler Warren or lose.

Easton Freeze, JT Ruhnke
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The Tennessee Titans will look for their first win of the season in Week 3 in their first divisional matchup of the year. The Indianapolis Colts are coming to Nashville for a battle of the expected vs the unexpected. The Titans are 0-2 after expected losses to the Broncos and Rams, and the Colts are 2-0 after a shockingly hot start sweeping the Dolphins and Broncos.

Both teams are riding a lot of new pieces, including a pair of new starting quarterbacks. It’s also a matchup defined by standout rookies. The Titans, a young and rebuilding roster, have enjoyed promising starts from all of their rookie offensive players as one of the only bright spots so far. Cam Ward has looked the part. TE Gunnar Helm has looked good enough to garner public support for him getting more opportunities. WR Chimere Dike has been a revelation on special teams LINK and has earned an increased workload on offense. And WR Elic Ayomanor has been a starter who looks like a Draft Day 3 steal.

But the Colts have a rookie weapon that’s off to an even faster start than anybody on the Titans roster. And we aren’t sure how exactly Tennessee’s defense will be able to stop him.

Titans Face A Runaway Train In Tyler Warren

A lot of this Colts offense is already a known quantity to the Titans. Jonathan Taylor, who leads the league in yards per attempt (5.5), will be a massive key to the game for Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Indianapolis’s trio of receivers in Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs all return as well. However, those pieces aren’t the only reasons why the Colts have transformed from a laughing stock to potential offensive powerhouse. 

Enter rookie TE Tyler Warren, who has been a major key to revitalization of QB Daniel Jones. This duo has been an integral part of the Colts offensive success and why, through two games, Indianapolis has yet to punt the football once.

Warren was the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft, and has looked perhaps even better than advertised. The do-it-all tight end has quickly become Daniel Jones’s favorite target, racking up 155 receiving yards on 11 receptions. He’s shown no signs of being green at the next level, commanding a 25.4% share of all targets, well ahead of Pittman Jr. (20.6%). That target share for Warren is also telling when you compare it to when he is getting targeted. Daniel Jones has looked to Warren as the first option a lot, boasting a 24 percent first read rate. The targets will be there for Warren in Week 3, there’s no doubt about it. The key to stopping him isn’t in coverage, it’s in tackling.

Containing Tyler Warren Instead Of Stopping Him

The rookie has been phenomenal when it comes to what he can do with the ball in his hands. Averaging a little over eight yards after the catch, Warren is a guy that’s tough to bring down. Of his 155 receiving yards, 93 of them are YAC. Warren continues to extend drives with his ability to simply not go down. And after the Titans display of missed tackles last week against the Rams, it needs to be an even bigger emphasis this week.

Warren’s presence is an element the Colts offense has not seen since legendary TE Dallas Clark. Warren can do just about anything and line up just about anywhere. Expect head coach Shane Steichen to move the 6’6” tight end all around the formation, and even see use in the backfield. Even with the amount of weapons the Titans will have to account for, guys like LB Cody Barton will have to be ready for the challenge. 

“They feature him a lot, and he does a lot for their run game” Barton said this week. “They even use him out of the backfield. He has the ability to do a lot of things, and it’s someone we’re going to have to pay attention to.”

The complexity of a piece like Tyler Warren on top of what the Colts already have will make this test for Dennard Wilson tougher than any previous Colts matchup. Warren is just one piece of the puzzle for an impressive Colts offense, but if the Titans want to come out of Sunday with a mark in the win column, they’ll need to give Warren his “welcome to the league” moment.

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