Rookie Promise Overshadowed By Another Blowout, Titans Fall 38-14

Indianapolis, IN — After a brutal home loss to the New England Patriots, the Tennessee Titans hit the road looking to right the ship against their AFC South rival, the Indianapolis Colts. Instead, they ran into a buzzsaw.

The Colts rolled to a 38-14 win, sending the Titans to 1-7 on the season and deepening what’s quickly becoming a lost year.

 

Overview

From the opening kickoff, it was clear the Titans were in trouble. The defense never found an answer for the Colts’ offense and Daniel Jones wasted no time exploiting it.

Jones led a 10-play, 53-yard opening drive that ended with a field goal, setting the tone for the afternoon.

Moments later, Jonathan Taylor broke loose for an 18-yard touchdown, the first of three trips to the end zone for the Colts’ star running back. Indianapolis jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

Tennessee showed a flicker of life early in the second quarter when rookie quarterback Cameron Ward led one of the Titans’ two scoring drives.

Ward’s 22-of-38, 259-yard performance included a touchdown strike to fellow rookie tight end Gunnar Helm. It wasn’t enough to spark a comeback but it was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise long afternoon.

The Titans’ youth movement continued to shine with wideout Chimere Dike turning in his best game as a pro — seven catches for 93 yards. Elic Ayomanor added 53 yards and Helm chipped in two grabs for 23 yards and his first career touchdown.

The future looks promising for Tennessee’s 2025 rookie class, even if the present remains bleak.

Indianapolis played like the 7-1 team they now are — efficient, physical and relentless. Taylor shredded the Titans’ front for over 170 all-purpose yards, while Jones picked apart a patchwork Tennessee secondary for 272 yards and three touchdowns.

Simply put, the Colts dictated every phase of the game. Head coach Shane Steichen’s squad executed with confidence, while the Titans looked a step slow and a play behind all afternoon.

Tennessee’s divisional woes continue, dropping them to 0-3 in AFC South play and 0-2 against the Colts this season.

 

Positives

• Rookie Showcase: The 2025 draft class continues to be the lone silver lining. Ward, Dike, Ayomanor and Helm all showed growth and poise despite the lopsided score.
• Green in the Red Zone: The Titans were an efficient 2-for-3 inside the red zone scoring a touchdown, a season best.

 

Negatives

• No Más: The defense gave up 420 total yards and looked gassed for most of the second half.
• No Guts, No Glory: Conservative play-calling and a lack of urgency put Tennessee behind early and kept them there.

The Titans return home next week to begin a four-game home stand, starting with the Los Angeles Chargers. If there’s any hope of salvaging momentum, it has to start in Nashville.