NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans will be without T’Vondre Sweat for at least four games after placing their starting defensive tackle on injured reserve Saturday.
Sweat suffered an ankle injury in Tennessee’s season-opening loss to the Denver Broncos. The 6-foot-4, 366-pound lineman missed last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday, and had been ruled out for Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts after he missed practice Friday.
The Titans also have three more starters — right tackle JC Latham, right guard Kevin Zeitler and cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. — inactive against the Colts.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, with both starting interior defenders, Jeffery Simmons and Sweat on the field last season (309 run plays), the Titans’ defense allowed 4.3 yards per carry, 10th fewest among all teams. With one of Sweat or Simmons (96 run plays), the Titans allowed 4.7 yards per carry (6th most). The average jumps to 5.2 yards per carry with neither Sweat nor Simmons on the field (98 run plays), which would be the highest mark in the league.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran for 218 yards when he last faced the Titans in Week 16 in 2024. Sweat played 40 snaps before getting poked in the eye and missing the rest of the game.
Veteran defensive tackle James Lynch will see the bulk of the action while Sweat is out. The Titans used the standard elevation from the practice squad for defensive tackle Carlos Watkins on Saturday.