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Titans-Colts: Live Updates, Analysis

The race for first place in the AFC South will be defined by what happens in the second meeting of the season between these teams.

David Boclair

In a 17-week regular season, it is impossible for a team to clinch first place in its division after just eight games.

With a win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, however, the Tennessee Titans could come as close as imaginable.

The Titans come into the contest at 5-2, two games ahead of the Colts with one head-to-head victory already in hand (25-16 in Week 3). A victory in the rematch, therefore, would give them a three-game lead in the division plus the tiebreaker with nine games to go. If the Colts win, the difference in the standings is one game, and the remainder of the season turns into a race to the finish.

“We know how important these division games are,” safety Kevin Byard said. “… If we beat this team, obviously we get more ahead in the division and put them a little farther back. This is a huge game for us and – in my opinion – a must-win.”

On to kickoff. 

FIRST QUARTER

Indianapolis gets the ball to start, and kick returner Aston Dulin is tackled at the 18. 

(14:56) The Colts cross midfield on their first snap. Running back Jonathan Taylor turns a short pass into a 37-yard gain to the Titans’ 45.

(12:42) Indianapolis’ fifth offensive play is a fourth-down attempt, and it is successful. On fourth-and-3 from the Tennessee 38, Carson Wentz completes a pass to Nyheim Hines for six yards. 

(11:26) Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is down and getting attention from the trainer. The Titans started the game without one of its defensive lineman, Teair Tart. They can ill afford to lose their best player on that unit.

(8:45) The Colts go for it on fourth down again, this time on fourth-and-goal from the 2. Wentz connects with Michael Pittman for the touchdown. Indianapolis went 1-3 on third down, 2-2 on fourth down. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 82 yards, 6:19. INDIANAPOLIS 7, TENNESSEE 0

Tennessee’s defense did not allow Kansas City to score a touchdown on any of its three red-zone possessions last week.

(8:41) Dontrell Hilliard, signed to the practice squad this week and a gameday addition to the roster, is the kickoff returner in place of the injured Darrynton Evans. It is a touchback, and the Titans will start at their own 25. 

(8:00) Tennessee’s second offensive play is an interception. Ryan Tannehill did not see Kenny Moore in the zone coverage, and Moore returns it to the Tennessee 7. 

(7:49) The Colts waste no time taking advantage. The first play after the pick is a seven-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to Pittman. Scoring drive: 1 play, 7 yards, 0:05. INDIANAPOLIS 14, TENNESSEE 0

The Titans had allowed 12 first-quarter points in the last six games and just two first-quarter touchdowns all season. That is 14 and two, respectively, in this one. 

(6:14) A three-and-out for Tennessee’s offense, and the ball goes right back to the Colts. This time they will start at their own 32. 

(2:59) Tennessee’s defense finally gets a stop. Wentz overthrows Pittman on fourth-and-3 from the Titans’ 40. Ryan Tannehill and Co. get the ball back and get to try to reduce the deficit. 

(0:00) End of the first quarter. Titans are on the move with a first down at the Indianapolis 35 as Tannehill has three completions on this drive, all to tight ends (Geoff Swaim 2, Anthony Firkser 1). The Colts have a 117-37 edge in total offense.

SECOND QUARTER

(12:10) Swaim’s first touchdown catch of the season (six yards) caps the drive as Tannehill continues to look to the tight ends. The first play of the quarter was an 8-yard completion to MyCole Pruitt. Scoring drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 5:48. INDIANAPOLIS 14, TENNESSEE 7

Swaim now has 10 receptions on the season, six against the Colts. He had three for 27 yards in Week 3 and has three for 16 yards in this one. 

(10:04) Harold Landry adds to his team-leading sack total, and Tennessee forces another punt with a seven-yard loss on third-and-6. Landry now has 8.5 sacks for the season. His career-high is nine, set in 2019.

(4:32) Tannehill’s second interception of the day comes when he unloads against a blitz on third-and-11 from the 45. The Titans get a break when the Colts fumble on the interception return and Firkser recovers.

That is Tannehill’s second multi-interception game of the season. The first was against the Colts in Week 3. Since Tannehill became the starter, Tennessee is 1-2 when he throws more than one interception. 

(4:24) The Titans lost two yards on the exchange, and on the first play after the interception-fumble recovery, A.J. Brown delivers a 57-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown that ties the game. Scoring drive: 1 play, 57 yards, 0:11. TENNESSEE 14, INDIANAPOLIS 14

(0:03) The Colts use up the remaining time in the half. They call their final timeout and send out the field goal unit on fourth-and-3 from the Titans’ 16. Former Titans kicker Michael Badgley makes a 34-yard field goal and put Indianapolis in front again. Scoring drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 4:13. INDIANAPOLIS 17, TENNESSEE 14

The Colts have a 181-161 edge in total offense and have 12 first downs to the Titans’ eight.

Derrick Henry has 11 rushes for 31 yards.

Tannehill is 9-12 for 118 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Geoff Swaim, with four catches for 23 yards, has been his favorite target.

David Long has a team-high five tackles.

THIRD QUARTER

(11:36) Now it is the Titans who go for it on fourth down. Tannehill keeps for a 13-yard run on fourth-and-2 from the Colts’ 47. It is the offense’s second first down of the drive. 

(7:46) In addition to the fourth down, the Titans converted three third downs on their opening possession of the half, the last with a 5-yard touchdown reception by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on third-and-4. Tennessee leads for the first time. Scoring drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 7:18. TENNESSEE 21, INDIANAPOLIS 17

(5:36) The Colts punt for just the second time after Kevin Byard breaks up a pass on second down and Wentz throws incomplete on third down – both were intended for tight end Mo Allie-Cox. 

(4:03) The Titans can’t overcome an offensive pass interference penalty on the first play of the drive and have to punt. Mike Vrabel successfully challenges the third-down play, which officials ruled was an incomplete pass. The call is overturned. The Titans don’t get a first down but they get 10 yards and will punt from their own 21 (where it is fourth-and-2) instead of their 11.

(1:25) A pass interference penalty against Amani Hooker gives the Colts 41 yards and sets up Jack Doyle’s 5-yard touchdown reception on the next snap. The Colts are back on top. Scoring drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 2:21. INDIANAPOLIS 24, TENNESSEE 21

(0:00) End of the third quarter. The Titans are on the move again, courtesy of a roughing the passer penalty. It is second-and-6 at their own 46.

The Titans are 9-19 under Mike Vrabel, 2-2 this season, when trailing after three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER

(11:20) After a holding penalty costs the Titans a third-down conversion, A.J. Brown’s 14-yard reception makes it fourth-and-3 from the 28. Randy Bullock comes on for a game-tying field goal, and the 46-yard kick is good. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 5:06. TENNESSEE 24, INDIANAPOLIS 24

A.J. Brown now has seven receptions for 122 yards, his second straight 100-yard performance.

(11:00) Jeffery Simmons is called for a personal foul and fourth down (after a successful stop) turns into a first down for Indianapolis.

(8:35) Another penalty. Denico Autry’s sack on third down is wiped out by a holding call against Chris Jackson. First down Colts at the Tennessee 47.

(5:35) The defense finally holds, with help from a holding penalty that knocked Indianapolis out of field goal range. The Colts punt and Chester Rogers returns it to the 26-yard-line.

(3:22) Derrick Henry’s second effort produces another fourth-down conversion. He gains one yard on fourth-and-1 from the Indianapolis 49, and the Titans are in business. 

(2:00) Two-minute warning. Following a holding penalty on first down and a sack on second, the Titans will have it third-and-19 from their own 42 when play resumes. 

Both teams have all of their timeouts, which means a lot can happen over the final 120 seconds. 

(1:39) It is fourth down after a 13-yard reception by Jeremy McNichols, and the Colts use their first timeout. The Titans use that time to decide to punt. It is a fair catch at the 8. The Colts have a long way to go with 1:33 remaining and two timeouts. 

(1:33) Bud Dupree pressures Wentz into a near-safety, a foolish throw and an Elijah Molden interception that turns into the go-ahead touchdown with a 2-yard return. TENNESSEE 31, INDIANAPOLIS 24

(0:51) On third-and-16, Wentz barely avoids a sack, scrambles and hooks up with Pittman for a 38-yard completion to the Tennessee 43.

(0:37) The Colts use their second timeout.

(0:32) Pass interference is called against Byard on a throw to the end zone. First-and-goal at the 1. 

(0:25) The Titans use their first timeout.

(0:25) Taylor takes a handoff out of the wildcat formation and runs it in for the game-tying touchdown. Scoring drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:04. TENNESSEE 31, INDIANAPOLIS 31

(0:22) After a touchback, the Titans have the ball at the 25. 

Tannehill is sacked on first down for a loss of seven yards. The Titans have to use a timeout because Tannehill was slow to get up. Logan Woodside comes in to take a knee and send the game to overtime. 

This is the third overtime game of the season. The Titans are 1-1.

OVERTIME

Colts win the toss and will get the ball to start. Ashton Dulin returns it to the 30. 

(9:06) Chris Jackson breaks up a third-down pass to Zach Pascal running a deep post, and it is three-and-out for Indianapolis. The kick goes out of bounds at the 28. 

(7:33) The Titans go three-and-out after A.J Brown is held to an 11-yard reception on third-and-13. The first two plays were an incomplete pass and a three-yard loss by Henry. 

(6:41) Indianapolis gets the first first down of overtime when Wentz keeps it for four yards on third-and-2 from the Colts’ 23.

(5:56) One play later, Byard comes up with his team-leading fourth interception and returns it to the Indianapolis 46. 

(5:20) A.J. Brown gets the Titans into field goal range with a 13-yard reception to the 29. 

Brown has tied his career-high with 10 receptions and has set a career-high with 155 yards. 

(4:08) After a three-yard Henry run on third down, Bullock comes on for a game-winning 44-yard field goal attempt. The Colts call timeout to make him think about it. It is good. TENNESSEE 34, INDIANAPOLIS 31

The Titans improve to 6-2 and have a three-game lead in the division, and they do so on a day when Derrick Henry is limited to 68 yards on 28 carries. Standout performers included A.J. Brown (10 receptions, 155 yards, TD), Kevin Byard (four tackles, one INT, three PDs) and kicker Randy Bullock (2-2 on FGs, including the game-winner, 4-4 on PATs). 

Published
David Boclair
DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.

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