Week 8 NFL Deep Dive: Colts Crush The Titans - Again

By Peter Mann

A Stunning offensive display by quarterback Daniel Jones, and running back Jonathan Taylor, saw the Indianapolis Colts register a 14th season sweep of the Tennessee Titans, tying them for most since the 2002 realignment in the NFL.

This week’s Deep Dive took in the Colts’ 38-14 win over AFC South rivals, the Titans, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, a victory which saw Shane Steichen’s hosts move 7-1 for the season, the best return in the league, and push their rivals to a paltry, 1-7, a record equalled only by the New York Jets, and New Orleans Saints.

Steichen, in his third season at the helm, had a 17-17 record going into the 2025 campaign, but the former San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers employee (2011/12, and 2014-20), who took the reigns at the Colts on 2022 after a stint in Philadelphia, has not looked back.

Putting forty-plus on the Titans back in week three, at the Nissan Stadium, the Colts picked up where they left off both in mid-September in Tennessee, and in their last outing, against the Chargers.

Jim Bob Cooter, the Colts’ Offensive Coordinator, who has been with the franchise a couple of years now, deserve a lot of the plaudits, just utter quietly that he was actually born in Tennessee (Fayetteville), went to High School and played college football there (Tennessee Volunteers), and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Titans.

He then moved to the Colts as Offensive Assistant (2009-11), before holding posts in several franchises across the league, at Kansas City, Denver, Detroit, New York (Jets), Philadelphia, and Jacksonville, before returning to the Colts in 2023.

In his early forties, there’s still plenty of time for Cooter to make the jump to Head Coach as well, should he so wish; meanwhile, in this contest between the Colts, and his hometown Titans, it was his offense who ran the field, shot out the numbers, and put up a highlight reel of catches throughout, two of which came late on.

The Titans were restricted, massively, their quarterback, Cameron Ward, having next to no luck as the Colts posted first and third quarter shut-outs en-route to victory.

But it was to be the boot of Michael Badgley that opened the scoring, the former Miami Hurricanes kicker putting through a 43yd FG as the game was getting into its throes of action; Badgley has been a much a journeyman in the league having been undrafted in 2018, his longest spell being early on in his career with the Chargers – this is his third spell with the Colts.

With running back Jonathan Taylor pulling the strings dangled by the Colts quarterback however, the victory march was very quickly in full effect, and it would be he who’d take the first TD score of the game, picking up an 18yd rushing score for his twelfth of the season, in the closing second of the first quarter.

The Titans got back in the game with their first of two scores, this one early in the second quarter as his close-range pass connected with tight end Gunnar Helm, left wide-open, for his first Titans score.

Any hopes of the Titans getting something from the contest though were short-lived when just three-and-a-half minutes later Jones threw a 21yd deep ball for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jnr to score with a highlight reel.

Jones’ deep pass still left Pittman with plenty to do and, as he hit the corner of the endzone, he was being muscled by Titans corner, Jalyn Armour-Davis, the former Baltimore Ravens players trying his upmost to put Pittman off, Pittman though used one arm to push his opponent aside, and the other to claim the football between arm and upper body for the score.

That, with over seven minutes still to go in the half, gave the Colts a 17-7 lead which they took into the second half, one which was only a few minutes old when Taylor struck again; this time collecting a handoff, finding a gap in the Titans line, before hitting the sidelines for an overall, 80yd dash to the endzone.

It was a score which would not only be the fourteenth of the season thus far, but also the longest TD score of his career to date; the 26-year-old Salem-born star is in his sixth season in Indianapolis, and continues to set both league, and franchise records.

The Colts’ lead was further extended with five minutes left in the third quarter when Jones rolled right and hit wide receiver Josh Downs from ten yards, the score being given after review.

Taylor piled even more pressure on the Titans with another score, this early in the fourth quarter, after a quick pass from Jones is ran home over 19yds to put the advantage at thirty, it being another highlight reel score for the hosts.

The Titans did nick a second score of their own, late in the game when, with less than three minutes remaining, running back Tayjae Spears rushed in from close range, but the damage had long-since been done and the Colts ran out a 38-14 victory.

Adding to their week three, 41-20 win in Tennessee, the Colts have put 79pts past their divisional rivals this season, Jones with four TD scores, and Taylor with five rushing and one receiving TDs – the Titans will be glad that’s done with…

Statistically for the two franchises, the Colts would see the following registered – Daniel Jones, 21/29, 272yds, 3TDs (pass); Jonathan Taylor 12cars, 153yds, 2TDs (rush), 21yds, 1TD (rec), Michael Pittman Jnr 95yds, 1TD (rec), Josh Downs 39yds, 1TD (rec); Michael Badgley 1/1 FG, 43lng, 5/5PATs

Registering for the Titans was – Cameron Ward 22/38, 259yds, 1TD (pass); Tyjae Spears 9cars, 59yds, 1TD (rush); Gunnar Helm 23yds, 1TD (rec); Joey Slye 0/1, 2/2PATs

Upcoming for each, in week nine, the Colts look to increase their 7-1 record when they travel to the AFC North leaders, 4-3 Pittsburgh Steelers, whilst the 1-7 Titans face another tough ask when hosting the AFC West’s 5-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

PETER MANN

NFL ANALYST

PETER IS A LIFELONG SPORTS FAN, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR BASED IN COUNTY DURHAM. HE HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL AND THE RAIDERS SINCE THE 1980s, AND LOVES BOTH SPORTS AND FAMILY HISTORY. PETER HAS A DEGREE IN SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY, AND CAN BE FOUND ON TWITTER @petermannwriter

 
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