The Titans finally start AFC South portion of schedule hosting banged-up Colts

Indianapolis (2-3) at Tennessee (1-3)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Titans by 2 1/2.

Against the spread: Colts 4-1; Titans 1-3.

Last meeting: The Colts beat the Titans 31-28 in OT on Dec. 3, 2023, at Nashville.

Last week: Colts lost 37-34 at Jacksonville; Titans had bye after beating Miami 31-12 on Sept. 30.

Colts offense: overall (13), rush (12), pass (12), scoring (13).

Colts defense: overall (32), rush (31), pass (29), scoring (25).

Titans offense: overall (30), rush (18), pass (29), scoring (20).

Titans defense: overall (1), rush (15), pass (1), scoring (15).

Turnover differential: Colts plus-1; Titans minus-7

Alec Pierce. The third-year receiver has provided Indy with the big-play threat it's lacked in recent seasons. He leads the NFL at 28.3 yards per catch, already has established a new single-season career high with three TD catches and last week he almost single-handedly brought the Colts back at Jacksonville with three straight catches for a career-best 134 yards. He's looking for a strong encore this week.

QB Will Levis. He and Anthony Richardson both were drafted in 2023, and Levis has started more games than the fourth overall pick out of Florida. But both are tied with six interceptions this season — most in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes has been picked off six times, but the Chiefs have played five games. Levis has finished only three of his four starts this season after hurting his throwing shoulder trying to run for a first down against Miami.

Colts QB Anthony Richardson (hip) and Pro Bowl C Ryan Kelly (neck) both practiced. The NFL's 2021 rushing champ Jonathan Taylor (ankle) didn't in a similar scenario to last week when all three sat out. The Colts also must decide on starting DE Kwity Paye (quadricep) and Pro Bowl CB Kenny Moore II (hip), who also sat out last week. If Richardson misses another game, Joe Flacco will make his second straight start. If Kelly is out, the Colts may starting two rookies — center Tanor Bortolini and right guard Dalton Tucker — with Will Fries on injured reserve following surgery on his injured lower right leg. WR Michael Pittman Jr. has a back injury that may force the Colts to put him on injured reserve. ... Titans QB Will Levis will start after working his way back from an injury to his throwing shoulder that knocked him out of their previous game. ... Two-time Pro Bowl DL Jeffery Simmons said he'll be back after two weeks because of an injury to his left elbow. The Titans, who declared S Jamal Adams out for this game with an injured hip, put the three-time Pro Bowler on reserve with a non-football injury Saturday. DL Keondre Coburn (knee) will not play.

Indy swept the Titans last season after losing the previous five in the series. ... Indy is 15-7 on the road against the Titans since they relocated to Nashville. ... The teams have only met once in the postseason with Tennessee handing Peyton Manning a 19-16 loss in his first playoff game in Indy. ... The Colts and Titans only met six times when the franchises were located in Baltimore and Houston and eight times when Houston squared off with Indianapolis. They became division rivals in 2002.

The Colts are 0-2 in division play this season, have lost three straight AFC South games and are 4-9-1 against division foes since 2021. They trail defending division champ Houston by two games. ... This is the Titans' AFC South opener. ... Indy ranks third in the NFL with 24 plays of 20 or more yards this season. It also has scored 20 or more points in 17 of the past 21 games. ... With Richardson out last week, Flacco made his starting debut with the Colts. Richardson is 4-4 as a starter. The 39-year-old Flacco is 103-85. ... With 78 scrimmage yards, Taylor would pass Moore (6,040) for No. 4 for a Colts player in their first five seasons. ... LB E.J. Speed had his eight-game streak with 10 or more tackles end last week in Jacksonville. It was the league's longest streak since 1987. ... Speed is tied for the NFL lead with 54 tackles. Colts CB Nick Cross is tied for third in tackles (52). ... Indy is tied for eighth with eight takeaways. It also has allowed the fourth-fewest points after a turnover this season (six). ... The Titans have won the game coming off their bye each of the past eight seasons. Only Buffalo (nine) has a longer active streak, which is second to Philadelphia's streak of 13 consecutive such wins between 1999 and 2011. ... The Titans have allowed a league-low 243.8 yards per game and also lead the NFL in passing defense giving up just 124 yards per game. They held Miami to 184 yards before their bye. ... The Titans have used the same starting offensive line for the first four games, matching the most games Tennessee used any of 11 different starting combinations in 2023. ... K Nick Folk made five field goals, including three at least 50 yards, in the Titans' first win of the season.

Titans RB Tony Pollard is coming off a season-high 108 yards from scrimmage. He is even better after contact at picking up yards and going up against a banged-up Colts defense that is among the worst in the NFL at stopping the run.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) fumbles as he is hit by Jacksonville Jaguars' Travon Walker (44) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tennessee Titans place kicker Nick Folk (6) kicks the extra point during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (2), right, celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) warms up before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Brennan Asplen)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, right, watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts promoted 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers to the active roster Saturday, making him eligible to play — and perhaps start — in Sunday's crucial game at Seattle.

Indy (8-5) brought the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist out of retirement Tuesday when it signed him to the practice squad. Rivers practiced all week but he hasn't taken a snap since what appeared to be the end of his career following the 2020 season.

The move to add Rivers to the active roster will take him off the Hall of Fame ballot for the class of 2026. Rivers had been picked last month as one of 26 semifinalists with the 15 finalists expected to be announced later this month.

Rivers will no longer be eligible with Hall of Fame rules mandating a player being out of the league for at least five years before his candidacy can be considered. The earliest Rivers now can be a candidate is for the class of 2031.

The signing of Rivers came after coach Shane Steichen confirmed starting quarterback Daniel Jones would miss the rest of this season with a torn right Achilles tendon. Jones, who wore No. 17 with the Colts, had surgery earlier this week and now is allowing Rivers to wear the No. 17 he wore throughout his long NFL career.

Indy has lost three straight and four of its last five to fall out of the AFC South lead into a tie for second with the Houston Texans. The Colts also have slid into the No. 8 seed for the seven-team playoff field. The Seahawks (10-3) are trying to stay in the NFC West title chase.

The Colts believe Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowler who was the 2013 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and a 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year finalist, can salvage their postseason hopes. Rivers still ranks among the league's top 10 in wins, career attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdown passes and 300-yard games.

Alternately, rookie Riley Leonard could make his first career start. But he's dealt with a right knee injury all week, and the only other quarterback on Indy's roster is veteran Brett Rypien, who also was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster this week.

Indy also activated receiver Coleman Owen and defensive tackle Chris Wormley to the active roster from the practice squad and removed the questionable designation from defensive end Tyquan Lewis.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

FILE - Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers watches warmups before an NFL football game between the Chargers and the Denver Broncos, Dec. 10, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)

FILE - Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus, File)