INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The Tennessee Titans finally left Indianapolis with their first victory of the season, turning a 13-0 halftime deficit into a 26-20 comeback win over the Colts on Sunday.
What looked like another frustrating afternoon for Tennessee flipped in the second half, when the defense forced turnovers, special teams produced two decisive plays and Joey Slye delivered the winning kicks late.
The result ended the Titans’ six-game losing streak against Indianapolis and gave first-year coach Robert Saleh his first win with the franchise. The Colts, meanwhile, were left to regroup after failing to cash in on a dominant first-half yardage edge.
Defense and special teams changed the game after halftime
Tennessee’s comeback started almost immediately after the break. On the first play of the second half, Jeffery Simmons forced a Jonathan Taylor fumble, setting up Slye for a 29-yard field goal that cut the Colts’ lead to 13-3.
Slye added a 56-yarder late in the third quarter to trim the margin again, but the biggest swing came in the fourth. Chimere Dike ripped off a 58-yard punt return to help set up the tying touchdown, and Oluwafemi Oladejo returned a blocked punt 14 yards for a score that gave Tennessee its first lead.
Those two special teams plays altered the pace of the game and allowed the Titans to keep pressure on a Colts team that had controlled the first half. Tennessee finished with six sacks and three takeaways, a combination that repeatedly stalled Indianapolis drives.
Slye’s late field goals finished the comeback
After falling behind again when Indianapolis tied the score at 20, Tennessee still had enough left to close it out. Slye drilled a 49-yard field goal with 2:03 remaining to put the Titans ahead for good.
He then added a 44-yarder with 43 seconds left after the Colts turned the ball over on downs. Those two kicks capped a season-high scoring day for Tennessee and gave the team a needed finish after several close calls earlier in the game.
Running back Tony Pollard helped steady the offense with 76 rushing yards on 19 carries, while rookie Carnell Tate had six receptions for 70 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Quarterback Cam Ward completed 11 of 22 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Indianapolis controlled possession but left points on the field
The Colts built their advantage by dominating the first half. They outgained Tennessee 232-64 in total yards before halftime and turned that control into a 13-0 lead, though they had to settle for field goals twice.
Those missed chances became costly once Tennessee’s defense tightened. Daniel Jones finished 22 of 42 for 269 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, and both picks wiped out potential scoring opportunities for Indianapolis.
Jonathan Taylor carried the offense with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts, while also catching two passes for 57 yards. The Colts did move the ball, but turnovers and special teams breakdowns kept them from turning production into a comfortable win.
Shane Steichen points to turnovers and blocked punts as key failures
After the loss, Colts coach Shane Steichen pointed directly to the mistakes that allowed Tennessee back into the game. He said turnovers remained a problem and stressed that Indianapolis cannot continue to give away field position or allow blocked kicks.
The Colts also lost punter Rigoberto Sanchez to a foot injury on the blocked punt, adding to an uneven day in the kicking game. Kick returner Anthony Gould did not return after entering concussion protocol, and All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner left with a calf injury.
Tennessee also dealt with injuries, but safety Amani Hooker returned from a concussion and helped by making an acrobatic interception on Indianapolis’ first real scoring chance. The Titans also saw safety Tony Adams and cornerback Marcus Harris leave in the first half before both returned to finish the game.
Milestones and honors marked a busy Sunday in Indianapolis
Several individual accomplishments stood out alongside the comeback. Simmons’ two sacks moved him to 46.5 for his Tennessee career, passing Ted Washington for 10th in franchise history and placing him fourth in the Titans era that began in 1999.
For Indianapolis, Keenan Allen recorded his best game of the season with eight catches for 82 yards and moved past Anquan Boldin and Terrell Owens on the NFL’s all-time receptions list. Taylor also reached 83 career touchdowns, surpassing receivers coach Reggie Wayne for third in Colts history, and crossed the 8,000-yard rushing mark.
The halftime spotlight belonged to Adam Vinatieri, who was inducted as the 21st member of the Colts’ Ring of Honor. The Pro Football Hall of Famer won four Super Bowl rings and retired as the league’s career scoring leader with 2,673 points.
Titans head home while Colts try to recover on the road
The win sends Tennessee back home with some momentum after a rocky start to the season. The Titans will host Cleveland next Sunday, hoping the defensive pressure and special teams spark that worked in Indianapolis can carry over.
Indianapolis, now 2-4, begins a two-game road trip at Minnesota next Sunday. The Colts will be looking to clean up the mistakes that turned a strong opening half into a loss they let slip away.
For Tennessee, the day was about more than a single result. It was a break from a losing streak, a first win for Saleh and a reminder that even a struggling team can change a game quickly with defense, field position and a few timely kicks.
