At the end of the day, all that matters are wins and losses–and the Indianapolis Colts escaped Tennessee with a win to improve to 3-3 on the year.
This was one of those games where not a lot went right, but on both sides of the football, the Colts were able to do just enough and come up with enough plays over the 60 minutes to secure the win.
With the game behind us, let’s go down-by-down and take a look back at the key aspects of this matchup.
First down: Josh Downs and Michael Pittman come up big
Both players were listed as questionable for this matchup on Friday, and it was even reported early in the week that IR was a possibility for Michael Pittman. However, both receivers not only played on Sunday, but carried the offense and came through in some big moments.
Of Flacco’s 22 completions, Pittman and Downs had 10 of them. Of Flacco’s 189 passing yards, Pittman and Downs had 101 of them. Of Flacco’s two touchdowns, both went to either Pittman or Downs.
But beyond the numbers, were the key moments that each player came through. On the opening possession and just outside of the red zone, Flacco connected with Downs for a 22-yard score. Late in the game, with Flacco under pressure, he threw a jump ball to Pittman in the end zone that he came down with.
In a game where the Colts won by only three points, finding the end zone in those situations was the difference between a win and a loss.
In addition to those receptions, Pittman also caught a 16 yard pass in the final minutes to pick up a Colts first down, which allowed them to take more time off the clock. By the time the Titans got the ball back, they were backed up in their own territory with just 12 seconds remaining in the game.
Second down: Penalties and third down success
In a close, low-scoring game such as this one, those on the periphery stats such as third down success and penalties can play key roles in determining the outcome.
The Colts came out on top in both instances. While Indianapolis had five penalties for only 40 yards, the Titans were penalized 11 times for 113 yards, oftentimes either extending drives for the Colts or putting their own offense in a hole.
On third downs, the Colts were able to keep drives going, converting on seven of their 15 attempts. The Titans, meanwhile, were only 4-of-11 on those downs. In part, this discrepancy helped the Colts run 11 more plays than the Titans in this game–again, a meaningful number in a close contest.
Third down: Fourth quarter defense comes through
If you look at the box score, it’s like a nice performance from the Colts defense. They held the Titans to 17 points, they forced a turnover, and Tennessee averaged just 4.4 yards per play.
However, as you watched the game, I’m guessing you didn’t feel all that good as it was taking place with Tennessee moving the ball on the ground fairly efficiently and taking advantage of their red zone opportunities, along with missed tackles and missed assignments contributing to the issues we saw.
But, nonetheless, credit to the Colts defense for coming through in the fourth quarter. Once Indianapolis regianed the lead, the defense followed that drive up by forcing a three-and-out. On the next Titans’ possession, the Colts came away with an interception, and then late in the game and on the next possession, the Titans punted after only one first down.
As was the theme, it wasn’t always a pretty performance, but the defense came through at the end when it mattered.
Fourth down: Opening script success
The Indianapolis Colts’ offense has been really good on their opening possession as of late. In each of the last three games, the Colts have scored a touchdown the first time that the offense has touched the ball.
Of course, this is a credit to the players for their execution, but also to Shane Steichen for the opening script that he’s put together.
The opening script is the first 15 or so plays put together by an offense that are meant to exploit certain weaknesses, for lack of a better word, that the defense has put on tape. These plays are often most effective right away before the defense has time to adjust.
The issue, however, is once that script is concluded. After that, this offense has really struggled to find any sort of consistency. Against the Titans specifically, the Colts averaged just 2.9 yards per rush and 5.0 yards per pass attempt against, albeit, on of the more stingy defenses this season.
But with that said, the inconsistency from the offense has gone on beyond just this game. Getting Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor back will provide the run game with an obvious major boost, which should help take some of the burden off the passing game.