NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans were bad. Then they were very good. Then they were bad again. Very bad.
In a yo-yo game where they showed more than enough talent to beat their longtime nemesis, the Titans ultimately folded and lost 35-33 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Tennessee trailed 14-0, then scored 27 unanswered points, then watched Indianapolis score 21 more. The Titans drove to a late touchdown but couldn't make the two-point conversion they needed to tie the game.
It was an exhausting afternoon for a near-capacity crowd at Nissan Stadium and for both teams on an overcast but humid day.
The Titans will be left to talk about closing the gap and enduring the process. But it’s a giant disappointment that after taking control of the game, they couldn’t finish it.
What it means: The Titans had lost seven in a row and 12 of 13 to the Colts, and that one win was against quarterback Curtis Painter and a 2-14 Colts team that bottomed out in 2011. Beating the Andrew Luck-led Colts, who are the established kings of the AFC South, would have been monumental. The Titans could have been in first place in the division at 2-1. Instead, they’re in a four-way tie with a 1-2 record, and the Colts have a tiebreaker on them based on the win.
What were they thinking? The defense really seemed to have a handle on things. But the Titans’ failure to score a touchdown after their second interception of Luck and a fourth-down conversion hurt. And a 12-play, 98-yard Colts scoring drive that made it 27-21 seemed to break the Titans' defense.
One reason to panic: The Titans don’t know how to win in a pressure situation. A week ago, they couldn’t stop the Browns from finding touchdowns that put the game out of reach. Against the Colts, they had things in control, and there was panic and desperation. And, finally, dejection.
Fantasy watch: Marcus Mariota is becoming a viable fantasy quarterback. He hit 27 of 44 passes for 367 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. In the right week, he could be a good play.
Ouch: Left tackle Taylor Lewan left the game for a brief second-half stretch with a shoulder injury. Later, Jamon Meredith, who was playing right guard for the injured Chance Warmack, left the game. Rookie Andy Gallik replaced him before Meredith returned. Cornerback Perrish Cox was out and back. Safety Da'Norris Searcy was out. The Titans didn’t announce injuries for anyone besides Lewan.
