The Tennessee Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts 26-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium, winning despite being badly outgained. Oluwafemi Oladejo's 14-yard return of a blocked punt and 4 Joey Slye field goals carried a team that managed just 186 total yards.
Indianapolis had the ball for more than 38 minutes and more than doubled Tennessee's yardage. It still lost, because 3 turnovers and a blocked punt gave away what the yardage earned.
How It Happened
The first quarter was scoreless. Indianapolis broke through at 11:07 of the second quarter when Daniel Jones found Mo Alie-Cox for a 1-yard touchdown. Spencer Shrader added a 23-yard field goal at 2:06 and a 47-yarder with 11 seconds left, sending the Colts to the locker room up 13-0.
Tennessee's comeback started with Slye. He hit from 29 yards early in the third quarter, then drilled a 56-yarder at 3:21 to cut the deficit to 13-6 heading into the fourth.
The fourth quarter swung in under three minutes. Cam Ward hit Carnell Tate for an 8-yard touchdown at 13:00 to tie it, and at 10:17 Oladejo scooped up a blocked punt and returned it 14 yards for the go-ahead score.
The Colts answered with a Jonathan Taylor 4-yard touchdown run at 5:32 to level it at 20. Slye then won it, connecting from 49 yards at 2:03 and from 44 yards with 43 seconds left. Indianapolis did not score again.
Key Performers
Joey Slye (TEN): 4 FG (29, 56, 49, 44 YDS), 2 XP
Oluwafemi Oladejo (TEN): 14-YD blocked punt return TD
Cam Ward (TEN): 8-YD TD pass to Carnell Tate
Jonathan Taylor (IND): 4-YD rushing TD
Titans passing: 11-22, 102 YDS, 1 INT
Titans rushing: 23 ATT, 84 YDS
Colts passing: 22-42, 234 YDS, 2 INT, 6 sacks taken
Colts rushing: 30 ATT, 165 YDS
Slye accounted for 14 of Tennessee's points on his own. His last 2 kicks came after the Colts had tied the game at 20, on a day his offense converted only 3 of 10 third downs.
What It Means
The Colts' offense moved the ball but would not protect it. Indianapolis threw 2 interceptions and lost a fumble, while the Titans turned it over once. Tennessee's pass rush also recorded 6 sacks.
The red zone and fourth down added to the damage. The Colts converted just 2 of 4 red-zone trips and went 1 for 3 on fourth down, in a game decided by 6 points.
Tennessee improves to 1-5, and this is its first win of the season, which also came on the road. The Titans are still without a home win. Indianapolis falls to 2-4 and 1-2 at home, a loss that will sting given how thoroughly it controlled the stat sheet.
For the Titans, the formula is not sustainable: 11 first downs will not win many games. For the Colts, the yardage suggests the offense can move the ball, but a team that gives away a non-offensive touchdown and 3 turnovers cannot afford to lose this kind of game at home.