The Colts started Sunday’s matchup with the Titans hot, doing enough to build a 17-7 lead at halftime.
While Michael Badgley opened the scoring with a 43-yard field goal, Jonathan Taylor capped Indianapolis’ second possession with an 18-yard touchdown run. Then receiver Michael Pittman made a terrific one-armed catch to give the Colts 17 points midway through the second quarter.
But after that, the Titans’ defense made the Colts punt on consecutive possessions. As noted by the CBS broadcast, Roger McCreary’s sack of Jones midway through the second quarter was the first time all year Jones had been sacked on third down. Then Jones was brought down during Indianapolis’ two-minute drill, marking only the second time all season that Jones has been sacked multiple times in a game.
That gave the Titans the opportunity to put more points on the board before the half, but Joey Slye’s 58-yard field goal was well to the right of the uprights and no good.
Cam Ward had hit a 1-yard touchdown to tight end Gunanr Helm early in the second quarter for Tennessee’s only points of the half. After two quarters, Ward is 8-of-13 for 109 yards with a TD.
On the other side, the Colts have 205 total yards and 14 first downs, but are 1-of-4 on third down. Jones is 13-of-19 for 146 yards with a TD. Jonathan Taylor has 72 yards on eight carries, most of which came in the first quarter.
The Colts won the opening coin toss and elected to receive, setting up the Titans to have the ball first in the third quarter.