Colts Blow 13-0 Halftime Lead, Hand Titans First Win
Daniel Jones threw two interceptions and took six sacks as Indianapolis fell to 2-4.
The Indianapolis Colts surrendered a 13-0 halftime advantage to the winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, collapsing into a 26-20 defeat that dropped them to 2-4 and handed their division rival its first victory of the season.
Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner did not mince words after the loss. “I’m sick and tired of the same song and dance every year,” Buckner said, according to postgame remarks. “We lost to the Tennessee Titans, who were 0-5, and now they’re 1-5.”
Indianapolis entered Week 6 attempting to halt a slide that began with a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, the offense stalled completely after the break. Quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22 of 42 passes for 269 yards and one touchdown. He also threw two interceptions and was sacked six times by a Titans defense that had allowed an average of nearly 28 points per game through the first five weeks.
Blowing a shutout lead at halftime is statistically rare in the modern NFL. Teams leading by 13 or more points at the half win roughly 95 percent of games, according to league historical data. The Colts managed to fall into the margin of error.
Buckner, who recorded two tackles and one pass defended, directed his frustration inward as much as outward. “Every single person on the team needs to be critics of themselves and figure out what we need to do better,” he said. “We’ll learn from this tape. And we’ll just take ownership of what we put on tape and move forward.”
For Tennessee, the result ended a five-game losing streak to open the year. It also gave head coach Robert Saleh his first win since taking over the franchise. Saleh, who was fired by the New York Jets early in the 2024 season, inherited a rebuilding roster in Nashville that had been outscored by 74 points entering Sunday.
Jones’ performance will intensify scrutiny on the Colts’ quarterback situation. Head coach Shane Steichen moved quickly after the game to shut down speculation regarding a potential change under center, backing his starter despite the turnovers and sacks.
The damage extended beyond the scoreboard. Cornerback Sauce Gardner suffered an injury during the contest, adding a significant defensive setback to a week already defined by offensive failures. Gardner, acquired to stabilize the secondary, left the game before the Titans mounted their second-half comeback.
Indianapolis now faces a 2-4 record heading into the back half of the schedule, while Tennessee travels into Week 7 at 1-5.
