Week 6 · 2026
Blocked Punt Sparks Tennessee Titans’ First Win in Indianapolis
Tennessee Titans 26 at Indianapolis Colts 20
A Tough Start
One blocked punt would change everything at Lucas Oil Stadium, but the Tennessee Titans first had to climb out of a deep hole. They arrived without a win in five games, while the Indianapolis Colts took control early. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones threw a 36-yard pass to Deion Burks, but Titans safety Amani Hooker stopped that drive with an interception, when a defender catches a pass meant for the other team. Indianapolis stayed on its strategy, or game plan, and moved ahead in the second quarter. Jones found Jonathan Taylor for 38 yards, and Mo Alie-Cox caught a 1-yard touchdown pass. Two field goals from Spencer Shrader gave the Colts a 13–0 halftime lead.
The Comeback Begins
Tennessee needed a break, and it came on Indianapolis’ first play after halftime. Taylor lost the ball on a run, called a fumble, and Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons recovered it at the Colts’ 33-yard line. The Titans got only a 29-yard field goal, yet those first points changed the feel of the game. Kicker Joey Slye then made a 56-yard field goal to pull Tennessee within 13–6. A 58-yard punt return by Chimere Dike set up the next push. Quarterback Cam Ward threw three passes to Carnell Tate on that drive, including an 8-yard touchdown. With 13 minutes left, the score was tied 13–13, and Tate had become a steady target for Ward.
The Punt That Turned It
Indianapolis had gained more yards and held the ball for 38 minutes, but one kick changed the afternoon. The Colts faced a punt, a long kick used to give the other team the ball farther away. Tennessee’s Julius Chestnut burst through and blocked Rigoberto Sanchez’s kick. Defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo grabbed the loose ball and ran 14 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, the Titans led 20–13. Taylor answered with a 4-yard touchdown run after helping the Colts downfield, tying the score again. Ward and Tony Pollard then moved Tennessee close enough for Slye’s 49-yard field goal. After the defense forced Indianapolis to stop, Slye made another kick from 44 yards with 43 seconds left. The Titans won 26–20 for their first victory, while the Colts fell to 2–4.