INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts managed to pile up more yardage than Tennessee by more than 200 yards on Sunday and still walked off Lucas Oil Stadium with one of the ugliest losses in recent memory, a 23-20 defeat after squandering a 13-0 halftime lead.
It was the kind of collapse that left the obvious question hanging over everything else: what now? At 2-4, with a home loss to a winless division opponent that had dropped 11 straight AFC South games by an average of 18 points, the conversation around this team has shifted fast.
Shane Steichen was asked directly about his job security after the loss and answered, “Obviously, my job is to get this team ready. And that’s what I’m focused on right now.”
When asked about possible staff changes, he said, “I’m looking at everything, but right now I’m good with our staff.”
That was not a routine postgame news conference. Steichen, by his own words and demeanor, sounded more fired up than he has in a while.
He also said his talks with Carlie Irsay-Gordon have not centered on his status. Still, after a home loss this bad, it’s fair to wonder whether change is coming.
The strangest part of the afternoon was how the Colts found a way to lose despite controlling so much of the game statistically. A stretch that included a holding penalty, a drop, an errant high pass and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown told the whole story.
Even a phase that usually steadies Indianapolis, special teams, cracked badly. The Titans flipped the game with a 52-yard punt return in the third quarter that led to their first touchdown, then later got a blocked punt when personal protector Jonathan Owens was steamrolled and Rigoberto Sanchez was smothered.
Tennessee, which hadn’t scored 26 points in any game through five weeks, got there in one half on Sunday.
The quarterback play didn’t help matters. Daniel Jones threw two interceptions, bringing another turnover-heavy outing to the table.
One of them, in the third quarter, was especially baffling: Jones tried to find Will Mallory on first-and-10 and threw it right into a crowd of Titans defenders. It was the kind of mistake that only adds fuel to the growing questions around his play, even though Steichen said he stood by him afterward.
And the pass rush offered no relief. The Colts got no sacks from their defensive end group, no quarterback hits from that spot, and just one total QB hit all afternoon.
Tennessee, meanwhile, sacked Jones six times and hit him 11 times.
There were a few bright spots, though they were buried under the bigger mess. Jonathan Taylor had his most productive game of the season, finishing with 21 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 57 yards.
Indianapolis tried a few different offensive wrinkles without Alec Pierce and Tyler Warren, including jet sweeps for Deion Burks and Josh Downs. One of those looks helped spark a 20-yard Taylor run when the Colts brought him in motion and used the action to create space on third-and-2.
Taylor also produced one of the day’s better individual plays after Tennessee grabbed a 20-13 lead in the fourth quarter. He fought through multiple tacklers after the catch, stayed on his feet and then tiptoed down the sideline for a 19-yard gain.
He finished that drive with a 4-yard touchdown. But even Taylor had a costly moment, losing a third-quarter fumble that helped swing momentum back toward the Titans.
The long view is what stings most. This was another conference loss, another division loss, and a home loss to a team Indianapolis should not have let leave the building with a win.
The Colts now head into a stretch that includes trips to Minnesota, which is 5-0, and Jacksonville, which is 4-2. The schedule is tilting in the wrong direction fast, and the team already looks vulnerable enough to have its season start slipping out of reach by early November.
The atmosphere around the stadium reflected that reality. The crowd was among the smallest anyone could remember for an early-season game, and the boos made sense.
This was not just a bad loss. It was the kind that makes every flaw louder, every question sharper and every seat a little hotter.
Inactive Players: TE-Tyler Warren (groin), WR-Ashton Dulin (hamstring), LB-Jaylon Carlies (ribs), OL-Dalton Tucker
Injury Report: CB-Sauce Gardner (left calf), WR-Anthony Gould (concussion), P-Rigoberto Sanchez (foot), S-A.J. Haulcy left the game due to injury.
Stat of the Game: The Colts lost to the Titans despite outgaining them by more than 200 yards.
What’s Next: The Colts (2-4) travel to face the undefeated Vikings (5-0) next Sunday at 1:00.
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