The Indianapolis Colts got exactly the kind of loss that can change a season’s direction - and maybe more - in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans. By the end of a 26-7 second-half collapse, the questions were aimed everywhere: at the play-calling, at the quarterback, at the roster, and at the people building it.
Shane Steichen’s choices will be hard to shake. With the run game working and time leaning Indy's way, the Colts kept throwing into a game that seemed there to be managed on the ground.
That was the kind of decision that had fans wondering why the offense didn’t lean harder on Jonathan Taylor. Then, late in the fourth quarter after Indianapolis suddenly trailed 23-20 and needed yards to get into field-goal range, Steichen didn’t call timeout.
It was one more ugly detail in a game that unraveled fast.
Taylor still stood out despite a fumble. He finished with 94 rushing yards and 57 receiving yards, and the case for giving him even more work was obvious.
He handled 21 carries, but the argument here is that he should have had 30. The running game was averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and that was the lane the Colts should have stayed in.
Daniel Jones, by contrast, couldn’t keep the offense on track. He was sacked six times, and the Titans’ pass rush made life miserable for him.
He made some decent throws, but too many of his decisions were bad ones. The first half of last season now looks like the outlier, and Chris Ballard looks foolish for re-signing him to a two-year deal worth as much as $88 million.
Steichen’s own side of the ball has become a problem too. He appeared to be trying to keep the run-pass split close to even, but when the run is producing more than the pass and the quarterback is taking punishment, stubborn balance only helps the defense. The Colts are not getting elite results from the offense, and that’s a major issue for a head coach whose control beyond that side of the ball is limited.
Ballard takes plenty of heat for the state of the roster, and this loss only feeds that. The pass rush remains a problem, and the decision to commit to Jones - along with Alec Pierce, who was already injured - is part of why the roster looks the way it does. Since Ballard arrived in 2017, Indianapolis has made the playoffs twice, and this season is headed away from that again.
There was at least a small bright spot from Tyler Burks. In the first half, he caught two passes for 41 yards and also looked useful as a returner. He may end up helping the next coach in some role.
On defense, Cam Taylor-Britt had a rough one once Sauce Gardner left in the second half with a minor calf injury. The Titans found more room to throw, and Taylor-Britt had trouble with rookie receiver Carnell Tate, who had done little early in the season before this matchup. That performance fits into a larger problem, too, with Lou Anarumo wanting his former players involved and Ballard allowing it to happen.
Maybe Taylor-Britt wasn’t the main issue. But there’s a good chance his place in the picture changes soon, along with a lot of other things in Indianapolis.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Have A Tyler Warren Concern Before Week 6
The Colts entered the weekend with a familiar kind of late-week uncertainty, and it landed on one of their most important young playmakers. Tyler Warren was added to the injury report Friday after getting hurt in practice, turning what had been a normal build toward Week 6 into a sudden concern for Indianapolis as it prepares for the next step in its schedule.
Warren is listed as questionable, which leaves the Colts waiting to see how much they can count on the tight end before kickoff. For a team trying to keep momentum, any late addition to the report is worth watching, especially when it involves a player who has quickly become a central part of the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Colts' Defensive Overhaul Is Creating A Problem Fans Feared
Chris Ballard spent the offseason trying to remake the Colts defense into something younger and faster, but the first month-plus of the season has brought an uncomfortable tradeoff. Through five games, Indianapolis has not gotten the payoff it was chasing, and the run defense has been a particular problem as opponents have found more room on the ground than they did a year ago.
Some of that comes with the territory when a roster leans harder on developing players, and the Colts are still sorting out how the new pieces fit together in real games. The concern for fans is less about the concept of the overhaul and more about whether the current personnel is sturdy enough to hold up against the run while the younger players continue to grow into larger roles. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Faces A Frustrating Test Colts Fans Can't Ignore
Jonathan Taylors start has been quieter than Colts fans are used to, with the running back averaging 3.9 yards per carry and ranking 23rd in breakaway rate, according to PFF. The bigger concern is how that production has fit into an offense still searching for rhythm through the air, because when the passing game is sputtering, defenses can focus more attention on Taylor and make every carry feel harder than it should.
The next test comes against Tennessee, and it shapes up as a tough measuring stick for the ground game. The Titans have been stingy against the run this season, allowing just 3.5 yards per rush, and the matchup puts even more pressure on Indianapolis to find cleaner lanes and better balance if it wants Taylor to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]