Titans rally from 13 down to stun Colts for first win of season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Tennessee Titans finally have a win, and they earned it the hard way. After falling behind 13–0 at halftime against the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee scored 26 unanswered points before the Colts managed a late touchdown in a comeback that changed the feel of the Titans’ season.
The turning point was a blocked punt in the fourth quarter. Tennessee turned the special-teams play into a touchdown and a 20–13 lead, putting the pressure back on a Colts team that had been in control for much of the first half. The teams were tied again at 20, but the Titans’ Joey Slye answered with field goals of 49 and 44 yards to finish the comeback.
A win that came from every phase
Tennessee did not suddenly become an unstoppable offense after halftime. The Titans had to find points through different routes, including Slye’s two field goals and a touchdown pass from Cam Ward to Carnell Tate that tied the game at 13.
Cam Ward’s Titans get desperately needed 1st win of season. Important fight from Tennessee today vs. rival Colts and emotional victory for everyone in Tennessee. https://t.co/5Qi7ptZAd3
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 18, 2026
The blocked punt supplied the biggest jolt. It gave the Titans their first lead and turned a game that had been slipping away into one the Colts suddenly had to chase. Indianapolis responded with a Jonathan Taylor touchdown to tie it, but Tennessee’s defense held up long enough to give the offense another chance.
The Titans then put the game in Slye’s hands. His 49-yarder restored the lead, and the 44-yard kick created the final six-point margin. Tennessee had entered the afternoon 0–5 and had not scored in the first half. By the end, it had its first victory of the season and a result that should give the locker room something tangible to build on.
The comeback gives Tennessee a needed reset
A win does not erase the problems that led to five straight losses. The Titans still need to show they can produce consistently across four quarters, and they will have to carry the second-half urgency into next week.
But this was the kind of finish that can change a team’s mood. Tennessee faced a 13-point deficit on the road, got a game-changing play from its special teams and responded after Indianapolis tied the score. The Titans did not fold when the game swung back toward the Colts.
For a team searching for its first sign of progress, the comeback offered more than a final score. It gave Tennessee a reminder that one big play can change the direction of a game, and perhaps the energy around a season.