Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Reach Into Bag of Tricks to Get OT Win, Sweep Titans

The Indianapolis Colts pulled out all the stops to come out on top of a 31-28 win over the Tennessee Titans in overtime.

Jake Arthur

In this story:

It took all three phases, it took a heavy dose of craftiness, and it took more than four quarters, but the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, completing the season sweep of their AFC South rivals with a 31-28 overtime victory.

Led by a bold rookie quarterback in Will Levis and the bruising running of Derrick Henry, the Titans controlled the first half of the game. However, the Colts consumed the initial half of the third quarter with a single drive and then blocked two punts to get back possession of the game.

It continued to go back and forth until ultimately Gardner Minshew found Michael Pittman Jr. in the back of the end zone from 4 yards out in one of the more thrilling Colts games this season.

Here are my main takeaways from the win.

OFFENSE

Indianapolis Colts tight end Kylen Granson (83) dives for a reception, under defensive pressure from Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (2), on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

— Shane Steichen's aggressiveness continues to pay off. Colts head coach Shane Steichen has been calling offenses for years now but is in his first season as a head coach, where he's responsible for just about everything offensively. He dialed up some bold decisions on Sunday that paid dividends for the Colts. Early in the first quarter, Titans safety K'Von Wallace made a big play but celebrated a bit too much, earning a taunting penalty. He left the field and then the Colts immediately attacked downfield, getting a 36-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone from Minshew to Alec Pierce. Later, Steichen put his own spin on a flea flicker, calling what basically was a triple-pitch that Minshew delivered deep down the right side to Kylen Granson for a 46-yard gain down near the Titans' end zone. Granson, a tight end by trade, also converted on a Colts 4th-and-2 as a runner later.

— Speaking of Pierce's touchdown, it was his first score of the season and prototypical of what the Colts envisioned when they drafted him. It still wasn't even his biggest play of the day, though...

— The opening drive of the second half only earned 3 points for the Colts, but it held more weight. The Colts put together one of the longer, more grinding drives you'll see to start the second half. Down 17-13, Indy went 70 yards in 19 plays, including five first downs (three third-down conversions and one fourth-down conversion), taking a shocking 10:03 off the clock. The Colts only got a field goal on the drive but would put together another couple of scores in the next few drives. For such a close game, taking that much time off the clock and getting points on the drive was substantial.

— Missed offensive opportunities. This was a narrow win for the Colts but it really shouldn't have been as close or even gone to overtime. This was probably Minshew's best start that he's had as a Colt, throwing for 62% completions and 312 yards with a 7.4 YPA, but it was a roller coaster like it usually is. Late in the first half at the end of a 10-play, 80-yard drive, Minshew lost a fumble inside Tennessee's 10-yard line, which takes 3 or 7 points off the board. Later, on a 3rd-and-6, Minshew missed badly on a throw deep down the left sideline to Pierce, who left his defender in the dust and would've had a 63-yard touchdown. Not to pour more on Minshew, but it was a bit of a theme on Sunday. On a two-point attempt following a Colts go-ahead touchdown, Minshew delivered an awkward pass that was tipped and intercepted by the Titans, who returned it for their own two-point score. What would've put the Colts up 24-17 with a conversion (or even 22-17 without) became 22-19.

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DEFENSE

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) scrambles and jumps over Indianapolis Colts linebacker E.J. Speed (45), linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) and cornerback Kenny Moore II (23), on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, during NFL week 13 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

— Big plays allowed early. The Colts defense had gotten control of their penchance for allowing big plays recently, allowing just two plays of 25-plus yards in the last couple of weeks. However, they allowed the Titans a 39-yard reception and a 22-yard touchdown run on the first drive alone. The Colts did put the clamps on and got a handle of the chunk plays afterward.

— Pass rush is officially on fire. In their last four games, the Colts defense has 21 sacks, including 6 in each of the last two games. Starting defensive ends Samson Ebukam (8.0 on the season) and Kwity Paye (7.5) each had 2.0 against Tennessee. Ebukam also had a QB hit on a 3rd-and-6 that forced a punt.

— Darrell Baker Jr. is coming into his own. For a guy who appeared to lack confidence in his play and was ultimately benched early in the season, Baker has really turned it up over the last month. He was notably called for two critical penalties at the end of the Cleveland Browns loss but ever since has been attacking the ball and making things difficult for opposing receivers, including on Sunday against the Titans. We'll have to wait and see the official coverage statistics when they're compiled, but Baker's performance passed the eye test. Officially, he was credited with 5 tackles and 2 pass breakups.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Indianapolis Colts place kicker Matt Gay (7) celebrates his field goal against the Tennessee Titans with guard Josh Sills (65) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023.
© Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

— Brian Mason's punt coverage teams begin wreaking havoc. New Colts special teams coordinator Brian Mason was known in college football as a coach whose special teams coverage units consistently made huge plays, and they finally made a pair for the Colts on Sunday. On consecutive Tennessee punts, the Colts ruined their plans. First, Nick Cross blocked a punt, which was recovered by Grant Stuard and returned 18 yards for a Colts go-ahead touchdown. Next, Tony Brown left his boundary coverage spot and rushed the punter, causing a fumble, which was recovered by Segun Olubi. These plays were monumental for the Colts getting back into the game.

— The weekly Matt Gay appreciation blurb. In a game that went to overtime, every point was needed. Gay converted all four field goal attempts (23, 23, 28, 46) and his only extra point attempt. The Colts were abysmal at scoring touchdowns in the red zone (1-of-5), but Gay picked up the slack.

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Jake Arthur
JAKE ARTHUR

Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for a decade. He is a member of the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) and FantasyPros' expert panel. He has also contributed to multiple NFL Draft guides.

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