NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Joe Flacco guided the Indianapolis Colts to a narrow victory against the Tennessee Titans, throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-17 win on Sunday.
Flacco improved to 1-1 in his second consecutive start for the Colts, who now sit at 3-3 on the season. This victory provided a necessary split in their back-to-back road games in the AFC South, as they continue to navigate injuries that kept second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson sidelined with a right hip injury.
Richardson, who was selected fourth overall in the 2023 draft, has yet to face Titans quarterback Will Levis, drafted 33rd overall in the same year. The Colts, already dealing with numerous injuries that left nine players on the injured reserve list, also missed 2021 NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor for the second week in a row.
For the Titans (1-4), this loss marks their third consecutive defeat against their division rivals. With head coach Brian Callahan in his first year, the team will look to secure their first home win of the season in November.
Tennessee’s Tony Pollard initially put his team ahead 17-10 with a 23-yard touchdown run during a meticulously maintained drive that ate up more than half of the third quarter. Flacco responded effectively by leading the Colts to 10 consecutive points, reclaiming the lead which they maintained for the remainder of the game.
His efforts set up Matt Gay’s second field goal, a 22-yarder early in the fourth quarter, followed by a 10-yard touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. with 7:27 remaining, solidifying the Colts’ advantage.
The Titans had opportunities to regain the lead, but following a three-and-out after falling behind 20-17, Julian Blackmon intercepted a pass from Levis intended for Calvin Ridley with 4:52 still on the clock. Levis is now struggling with seven interceptions so far this season.
Tennessee found itself with one last opportunity, starting from their 3-yard line with just 12 seconds left. Levis completed a pass to DeAndre Hopkins, who then initiated a series of laterals with Chig Okonkwo. However, the play ended as time expired without a successful score.
Flacco began the game with an impressive 10-play drive, wrapping it up with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Josh Downs, which gave the Colts an early 7-0 lead. This made up for a previous interception thrown by Flacco to Titans safety Amani Hooker, who returned it 30 yards, leading to a quick touchdown pass from Levis to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine that tied the game at 7.
The Titans later took the lead at 10-7, thanks to a 44-yard field goal from Nick Folk that concluded a lengthy 15-play drive lasting nine minutes.
In terms of discipline, the Titans were penalized 11 times for a total of 113 yards, marking both a season high in penalties and yardage lost to infractions.
On the injury front, Colts starting defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter but managed to return in the third. In contrast, center Ryan Kelly, who had already missed two games due to a neck injury, sustained a calf injury late in the third quarter and did not return. Additionally, Titans running back Tyjae Spears also hurt his hamstring during the match.
Looking ahead, the Colts will host the Miami Dolphins in their only home game in a stretch of five, while the Titans will embark on a two-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Buffalo Bills.