The Tennessee Titans executed an unbelievable comeback, beating the Indianapolis Colts 26-20 in Week 6. The Titans trailed 13-0 at halftime and looked totally lifeless. They rounded off 20 unanswered points throughout the second half.
The defense forced three turnovers, including three during a momentum-swinging third quarter. Special teams finally made massive plays that directly contributed to the comeback. Kicker Joey Slye was perfect during the comeback.
We've compiled 11 instant takeaways from the Titans' first victory of the 2026 season.
11 instant reactions from Titans' 26-20 Week 6 comeback win over Colts
2 plays, two self-inflicted wounds to start
It didn't take long for the Titans' weekly special team woes to reappear. Chimere Dike returned the opening kickoff across the 30-yard mark, but a holding penalty set the offense back at the 10-yard line. On the first play, tight end Daniel Bellinger dropped a Cam Ward pass. Luckily, Ward made an excellent heads-up play on third down to avoid another 3-and-out, though the drive later ended with a punt across midfield.
Titans HC Robert Saleh goes conservative... again.
Following an Amani Hooker interception, an inexcusable delay of game penalty forced the Titans into a 3rd-and-11 from their own five-yard line. Wan'Dale Robinson appeared to have a chains-moving catch, but replay assist ruled it short. The Titans initially thought about going for it on 4th-and-inches inside their own 20, but Robert Saleh mulled options at the conclusion of the first quarter and punted the ball instead. Two plays later, Jonathan Taylor took a screen pass for a 38-yard gain, flipping the field and making Saleh pay for his conservative punt. The drive ended with a Colts touchdown.
Missed tackles and miscues on the Colts' opening score
After that conservative Saleh punt, the Colts embarked on an eight-play touchdown drive. Taylor's aforementioned 38-yard screen pass was the highlight play in which Titans NT Nazir Stackhouse missed a tackle at the LOS. On 1st-and-goal from the 8, Titans DE Jacob Martin, who had a costly offside penalty earlier on the drive, missed a tackle on a Josh Downs run that went down to the one. Mistakes all around.
Robert Saleh doubles down on the conservative punt!
On the immediate possession following the Colts' opening touchdown drive, the Titans were faced with 3rd-and-4 from their own 40-yard line. They called a delayed inside handoff to Tony Pollard. It gained three yards and set up 4th-and-1 from the 43. Calling a 3rd-down run in that situation is acceptable if you've already decided to attempt a fourth-down conversion (if necessary). Not the Titans! Tommy Townsend punted again, this time from Tennessee's 43, which went for a touchback. Two conservative punts consecutively, both ending in Colts points.
Titans OC Brian Daboll can't muster any first-half offense
There was lingering hope that this struggling Titans offense could capture momentum against the Colts' bottom-five defense. That totally wasn't the case. Brian Daboll's offense mustered 64 first-half yards and zero points. Pollard averaged under three yards per carry and Ward went 4-of-7 with an interception.
Jeffery Simmons tries to breath life into the Titans... to little avail
The Colts began the second half with possession leading 13-0. Star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons ripped the ball out of Jonathan Taylor's hands, forcing and recovering a fumble. After two Cam Ward passes were batted down, Carnell Tate made an outstanding high-point catch on 3rd-and-long. Ward didn't see an open Calvin Ridley later on a third down, leading to a Joey Slye field goal and a wasted opportunity.
Special teams strikes again!
Special teams continued to hurt the Titans weekly. Chimere Dike's opening kickoff was called back to the 10-yard line due to a holding penalty on Truman Jones. In the third quarter, Jones was penalized for running into the punter, giving the Colts offense a first down.
The defense did everything it could during the third quarter
The Titans defense forced two turnovers during the third quarter via a Jeffery Simmons fumble and Cor'Dale Flott interception. The offense only managed to convert those turnovers into two field goals. The Colts' only other possession during the third quarter ended with a punt that Chimere Dike returned for 58 yards. The drive ended with Carnell Tate's 1st career TD catch.
Titans Special teams: A tale of two halves
The Titans made several special teams mistakes, but what a second half it was for John "Bones" Fassel's unit. After Dike's 58-yard punt led to a Titans touchdown that tied the game at 13 apiece, the defense forced another Colts punt. This time, it was blocked by linebacker James Williams for a scoop-and-score by Femi Oladejo. That Titans special teams TD made it 20-13, marking 20 unanswered second-half points.
Second-half defense finally folds
The Titans' second-half defense undeniably got them back in it, but they fold at an inopportune time in the fourth quarter. Leading 20-13 following Oladejo's special teams TD, the Colts offense punched back with an eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive that included gains of 13, 14, 19, and 9. It was 20-20 midway through the fourth quarter.
Titans K Joey Slye is money
Titans kicker Joey Slye converted three field goals throughout the second half, including a 56-yarder. Slye's trio of conversions included a 49-yard kick near the two minute warning that gave the Titans a 23-20 lead. It ended up being the game-winning kick, and he added a fourth for good measure.
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