In what was nothing short of a gut punch to their season and ever-dwindling playoff hopes, the Indianapolis Colts (2-4) were upset by the once winless Tennessee Titans (1-5), 26-20, at home on Sunday afternoon.
It was a game that the Colts simply couldn’t afford to lose, as there won’t be an easier game on their schedule this entire remaining 2o26 regular season.
The AFC South division Jacksonville Jaguars even narrowly fell to the Houston Texans in London, but the Colts couldn’t even make up divisional standings ground by losing to the lowly Titans of all teams.
Specifically, the Colts were at home, hosting a winless Titans team that hadn’t won since December 21st of last year, and held a rather convincing 13-0 lead at halftime.
It’s not that the Colts were dominating the Titans by any stretch, but it felt like Indianapolis had firm control of the game’s outcome at intermission and short of beating themselves frequently, would rather handedly outlast Tennessee to the game’s final whistle—probably to the tune of double digits.
However, beat themselves, Indianapolis did and did too often, with a fumble lost, an interception, and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown—all in the second half.
It’s not that the Titans played great or caught fire after halftime, the Colts just beat themselves with turnovers compiled with poor football collectively, I mean 0 defensive sacks on the afternoon to the Titans 6 sacks?
In a game where Colts legends were in the house to honor Hall of Fame placekicker Adam Vinatieri’s halftime induction into the franchise’s ring of honor, including, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, Tarik Glenn, Edgerrin James, Robert Mathis, and Bill Polian, there was nothing legendary about this Colts second half performance.
It was closer to putrid or resembling the Covenant grunts I used to lay waste to in “legendary mode” in Halo 2 during my high school years as the Master Chief.
In 2024 after starting quarterback Anthony Richardson was infamously benched following an in-game “tap-out,” former retired Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly alluded to a high standard that each member of the team, including the young Richardson, needed to hold themselves to, but at this point, what is that standard anymore?
Does anyone actually know it, remember it, or embody it?
It seems to be descending lower and lower by the week.
As one of the few remaining longtime leaders who’s consistently represented the franchise’s once proud standard, Pro Bowl veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner frustratingly stated post-game,“Yeah, I’m pissed off too. I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year.”
For a Colts franchise that’s finished 8-9 for two straight seasons and no better than 8-9 (once) over the past five seasons, having not made the playoffs since 2020 during the COVID-19 year, this felt like a new low of mediocrity regarding the Horseshoe—and fans are rightfully frustrated, even chanting ‘Fire Ballard’ for those that remained with the contest already decided at the disappointing game’s conclusion.