NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Titans faced a tall task against the AFC’s best team on the road Sunday in Indianapolis. Jonathan Taylor and company made sure that would be the case as the Colts ran away in the second half for a 38-14 win.
Indianapolis (7-1) got 153 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Taylor, who broke the game open with an 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and then a 19-yard receiving touchdown in which he took a short pitch and ran around the edge, bouncing off tacklers into the end zone.
Taylor becomes the first player in NFL history to score three touchdowns in three consecutive games against an opponent. He’s the biggest reason why the Colts have now swept the Titans in three consecutive years under head coach Shane Steichen.
But it is not just Taylor. Michael Pittman Jr. is another Titans killer, and he had eight catches for 95 yards and a jaw-dropping touchdown as well. Pittman took over the game on the second quarter drive, with a juggling catch over the middle for 11 yards, a 14-yard completion and then a 21-yard touchdown in which he fought through pass interference to rip the ball away from cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis.
The Colts have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and now have an efficient quarterback to run their offense.
Daniel Jones went 21-29 for 272 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, spreading the ball around to playmakers like Taylor, Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs who also caught a touchdown in the game.
Tennessee drops to 1-7 this season, 0-2 since Mike McCoy replaced Brian Callahan as coach, with the losses by 18 to the Patriots last week and now by 24 to the Colts.
McCoy’s team showed some flashes, particularly from the rookies on offense in the first half as they played the role of pesky division rival. But ultimately, the Titans couldn’t put enough on the scoreboard to make Indianapolis sweat, and McCoy seemed uninterested in pressing the issue, even as an interim coach of a team headed towards the top of the NFL Draft selection order once again.
McCoy twice declined to go for it on fourth down in Indianapolis territory with the game still in doubt.
The first came with less than 2:00 to play in the first half and the Titans facing fourth and four at the 48 while trailing just 17-7. The second came on the opening drive of the second half on fourth and three at the 42. Johnny Hekker’s punt sailed into the end zone for a touchback and a net punt of just 22 yards.
Taylor’s 80-yard jaunt came on the very next play, a back-breaking run in which he broke a tackle from Xavier Woods and outran Amani Hooker down the sideline to put the Colts up 24-7.
To compete with a team like the Colts, the Titans have to take risks and create opportunities.
When McCoy finally did attempt a fourth down play Ward’s dropback pass attempt drew a pair of flags for defensive holding against Indianapolis, giving the offense an automatic first down. But, by then, it was way too little and too late.
If your glass is half-full, you will point to Ward’s growing connection with three fellow rookies on offense as a positive. Chimere Dike continues to show he is more than just a return man. On Sunday he led the Titans with seven receptions for 93 yards. Elic Ayomanor had four catches for 52 yards.
And Ward made sure to celebrate National Tight End’s Day by hitting Gunnar Helm for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The first touchdown of Helm’s career came one play after Tyjae Spears broke free on a third and six sweep for 41 yards. It was the longest run play by a Titan since Derrick Henry two seasons ago.
If your glass is half-empty, you will wonder if those three fourth round picks are enough to help Ward through his rookie struggles and get at Titans offense averaging just 13.8 points per game this season humming again. Or if they will be resilient enough to get through this season and lead this team to wins in the future or if all the losing could break them?
On Sunday they got a second up-close look at just how big the gap is between the Titans and the top of the AFC.
On a team with many players, and even coaches, already with an eye towards next season and the next stop of their careers, it’s now up to the rookies to power through and make the most of this season while keeping the belief that they can be a part of the group that eventually will turn things around.
